


Win This Game

by RunAwayForEternity



Category: ATEEZ (Band), TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Crack, Enemies to Lovers, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Lots of stares, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sexy Times, This will be a wild ride, all out war, every single cliche scenario you can think of, like a ton of pining, who will be the next student council president?, yeonjun is number one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-23 02:49:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 67,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23004544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunAwayForEternity/pseuds/RunAwayForEternity
Summary: Choi Yeonjun has always been the best at everything. Ever since his first year at Big Hit Performing Arts, he was number one in singing, rapping, and especially dancing. He is ambitious and competitive, and nothing is going to stop him from rising to the top.Nobody can even compare to him. Nobody can compete with him. Nobody has been able to tilt him off his axis.Well, nobody except Choi Soobin.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Kang Taehyun, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun, Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V
Comments: 133
Kudos: 707





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Warning!  
> This writing is in no way related to the real life members. This is completely fictional and simply just for fun. Please enjoy!
> 
> Edit:  
> I made a twitter and cc for my ao3 account, so come follow me and don't hesitate to tell me how you feel!  
> @eternitxt03  
> curiouscat.me/eternitxt03

The first years all lined up, shuffling their feet with uncertainty and looking nervous. It was the first day at their university. 

Big Hit Performing Arts was one of the top universities in the nation. It was near impossible to get in, and you had to be extremely talented to even be considered for a spot. It was well known that if you managed to graduate from Big Hit, you would be guaranteed a job in anything you wanted. There was no limit to what they taught at this school, as long as it was something of the arts. They had all types of dance, singing, rapping. But beyond that, they offered acting, producing, composing. They even had miscellaneous things to study such as flower arrangement and architecture, more artistic classes such as pottery, sculpting, painting, and more diverse classes such as traditional asian music or music from all over the world. The list goes on and on. 

So you can imagine why these first years are beyond terrified. They were excited, but they were walking in blind. They have no idea what to expect at this school, and the next four to six years will either make them or break them. This is their one and only chance to put their abilities to the limit. One mistake and they were gone. Only the best, the strongest, make it to graduation. It was kill or be killed. Survival of the fittest. 

However, there was one student that didnt quiver like the rest. He stood up tall and proud, confident in his abilities, and that confidence didnt go unnoticed by the others. He earned his spot in this school. Yes, Choi Yeonjun _belongs_ here. 

With sharp and clever eyes, he scanned the line of his fellow students, assessing his competition. With a bored look, he passed over their faces, immediately labeling them in his mind and marking them off as possible threats or not.

 _“He wont make it till the second week,"_ he thought about the boy at the front of the line. He continued to watch the others closely as he made his way down the line. _“He looks like he has too much attitude, that kid is too worried about his looks to make it past first year, that girl looks like she will betray you in a heartbeat, that girl is way too shy, ew that person is super ugly-poor thing, that guy is obviously checking out that girl-sorry buddy there’s no way she’s going to fall for you.”_

His thoughts continued on and on. Was he a horrible person for thinking these things about his future fellow classmates? Perhaps. But its not like he was going to act on his thoughts. He was here to win, and nothing was going to stop him. There’s nothing wrong in scoping out the competition. He needs to understand his surroundings. Every little bit of information, no matter how miniscule it may seem, was important to him. It brought him one step closer to his goal.

He made it down the long line of first years, deeming everyone no threat to him and his plans. Dont get him wrong, all of these students were probably really talented. There’s no way they got offered a spot here at Big Hit by chance. But they werent talented enough to compete on _his_ level. He was here to be number one, and nothing and no one was going to stop him. 

Feeling a bit more reassured, his cunning eyes flicked to the last person in the lineup. It was a shy looking boy with glasses. He was slightly taller than the others, but not by much. He had black hair that fell into his eyes, hiding some of his face, and he held his hands clasped in front of him. He seemed eager to be here, but also worried like the rest of the first years. He wore dorky white shoes and white socks, with matching white gym shorts and shirt. Yeonjun wanted to snort. This guy just screamed nerd. It was a total contrast to his own black converse, skin tight black jeans, and white tshirt (he took his leather jacket off when he walked in). He was going for a more ‘lazy boy’ look today that he knows looks great on him. He even added in his favorite silver earrings to his ears. All five piercings. 

With a shake of his head, he dismissed the nerd at the end of the line. He was probably the least amount of competition that he has seen yet. Yeonjun has no doubt this boy would be gone by the first week. You need confidence to make it big, and he clearly lacks that very important skill. 

Yeonjun’s eyes began to drift away from the boy’s face, his brain immediately beginning to forget about him. But then something strange happened. The boy caught yeonjun staring (yeonjun was shameless like that) and he smiled at him. A shy but very pretty smile, with dimples and white teeth. His eyes were still covered by his glasses and dark bangs, but yeonjun could tell they crinkled up softly into crescents. 

Yeonjun was speechless for a moment, suddenly the room getting too hot and stuffy with all of them in there at once. His heart began to race, and for once in his lifetime his brain completely shut down for a second. His clever brain never did that before, his thoughts always swirling, his mind always plotting and planning. But now...it was just blank. 

Yeonjun recovered quickly. Like a brat, he flicked his eyes away from the boy, showing the other that he had no intentions of acknowledging him and his existence. He missed the way the other boy’s smile faltered slightly at the rude dismissal.

Yeonjun stood there in line, waiting for their professors and trainers to show up and evaluate them on their first day. His heart was still beating out of his chest, which annoyed the hell out of him, but he ignored it. Instead, he focused on the task at hand. He did flawless in his evaluation only thirty minutes later, he secretly snickered and scoffed at the others trying so hard that it looked downright pathetic, and he pasted on a fake smile to the people that flocked to him. They must have instantly recognized he was the greatest among them. Yes, yeonjun did everything he had to do in order to establish himself as the top. He was going to be the best this school has ever seen before. 

He ignored the looks of hatred, admiration, and lust. He ignored the way his laugh sounded forced. He ignored the obvious fake gestures of friendship from his fellow classmates, and he especially ignored the way a certain boy’s dimples showed up every time someone talked to him and made him smile. Yeonjun gritted his teeth. 

Despite however hard he may try, he doesnt think he will be able to forget him anytime soon. 

**

“What routines should we do today?” San asked yeonjun. 

They were currently stretching, getting ready for their warm up class. It was required of all first years to take the same general courses before branching off into their own respective programs and interests. Each first year had to pass a singing course, dancing, speech, language, acting, and one elective for their first semester. These were only level one classes, so it wasnt too difficult to do well, but you still had to work your ass off in them. 

These were the basics, and yeonjun already knew the basics. Its only been two months and yeonjun was already number one in everything. His name was pasted boldly on the board outside, continuously at the top. Never once has he been second.

He wants to continue dancing, so he needs to be excellent in everything in order to start off his second year without a hitch. Consider him ambitious, but there was no room for mistakes in his book. The other first years have started to get lazy, thinking they could slack off their way to graduation. They soon will be realizing thats a big mistake. 

San waited patiently while yeonjun thought about it. They both were co-leaders today in running the practice routines. Their dance instructor immediately recognized yeonjun and san’s talents, and advised them to help the others outside of practice. It was required for all of them to arrive 30 minutes early before each dance session in order to warm up and go through the routines they were already taught. A few students grumbled, but for the most part everyone listened to them.

Choi San and Choi Yeonjun were immediately already admired for their quick footwork and natural talent for dancing. They had slightly different styles of dance, but for the most part they were equal. Yeonjun would soon fix that in his second year, he will make sure of it. Besides, he liked san enough. After their first week together in dance, yeonjun decided to cross san off his list of ‘people who annoy him.’ that was a big compliment, considering yeonjun cant stand almost everybody. 

Not that the people knew this. To the outside world, yeonjun was nice, helpful, always eager to impress. He gave everyone a gentle and wide smile. He cracked jokes with the guys and flirted harmlessly with the girls. He was patient and caring, always willing to lend a hand to anybody who had a difficult time. He was a team player. 

He wouldnt hesitate to help someone up. 

And he definitely wouldnt hesitate to bring them down. 

The fire was always raging within him. But he refused to show that side of him to anyone else. Nobody can know what he was truly like. He was impatient, spoiled, a brat. He had a bad temper, and a mouth that never quit. And if you didnt already get the hint, he was selfish. What yeonjun wanted, he aimed to get. 

Despite these large character flaws of his, yeonjun wasnt a bad person. He was hard working. He didnt become number one through manipulation. He did it from his own sweat and tears. He was also loyal beyond belief. If yeonjun liked you enough, he would stick by you until the end. Unfortunately, it was hard for yeonjun to like anybody easily. He recognized people for who they really were. These people in front of him werent his ‘friends.’ they were suck ups that thought getting close to him would guarantee them popularity or passing grades. He _hates_ that. If they were going to use him, then he was going to use them right back. An eye for an eye, right? 

But the most important thing to know about yeonjun, is that deep down, like way deep deep down, he was afraid. He was afraid of failing. His mother pressured him his whole life to be the best, constricting him from showing his true personality. People dont like sarcastic and hot tempered attitudes. People wont be your friend if they knew you were crazy and psychotic. And so, the thing he is most afraid of above all, is being lonely. He’s afraid of getting too close to someone, only for them to turn their backs on him. He’s afraid of getting attached, and then being betrayed. And he’s especially afraid of getting hurt. 

So, choi yeonjun doesnt have time for friends. He always knew it was going to be lonely at the top, and he accepted this fact long ago. 

Now, dont get him wrong. He still has _acquaintances_ , like san, and even wooyoung. But san and wooyoung are such sweet souls. Yeonjun could never show them his true personality. He has to tread delicately with them. Their poor hearts are like soft petals. The minute they witness him losing his temper, they would faint like daisies. 

Hongjoong from his rapping class was also considered an acquaintance. But they had more of a mutual understanding rather than friendship. Hongjoong wants to be a producer and rapper. Yeonjun wants to be a singer, rapper, and dancer. They merely nod their heads in respect at each other and move on their merry ways. 

Yes, the only person yeonjun could trust at this moment was taehyun. He and taehyun have an interesting friendship, to say the least. Where yeonjun was all nice smiles and pretty words to your face, taehyun was blunt and sarcastic. Yeonjun always aimed to be number one, taehyun could care less about ranks. Taehyun has the potential to be so much, but he simply chooses not to do anything about it. He has been the only person to keep up with yeonjun and his craziness, and yeonjun respects him deeply for it. Taehyun called him out on his bullshit from the first moment they met in high school, and instead of getting upset about it, yeonjun grinned. Since that day, they kind of been a package deal. 

Taehyun recognized yeonjun’s true personality from the moment they met. And he never judged yeonjun for it. He witnessed yeonjun throw one of his temper tantrums after school, laughed with amusement, and shrugged it off. He simply...didnt care. He told yeonjun he thinks its a waste of time being nice to all of these ‘idiots’ and that he could never understand what yeonjun hopes to gain from being fake all the time. Yeonjun argued that he could gain a lot if people liked him, and they both agreed to disagree. 

However, taehyun was two grades below him, and so their strange friendship and closeness had to come to an end when he left for university. They still keep in touch though. Taehyun is the only one yeonjun can tolerate, and the only one he can share his real thoughts with. Since he arrived at big hit university, he made it a point to call taehyun at least three times a week to complain about all of the people he cant stand. Taehyun doesnt mind his whining though. Listening to yeonjun bitch about his life was way more entertaining than his boring old school life. Yeonjun is counting down the days until taehyun graduates high school and starts at Big Hit University with him. Until then, he will just have to make due with his fellow first year classmates. *sigh*

Which brings him back to the current situation he was in. he needs to help train his classmates with the routines they have been practicing for 2 weeks now. If they dont show improvement soon, his chances of taking over as the leader of the dance club next year will be slim. He needs to show he is capable of responsibility. A current second year, Lee Taemin, is the club’s president. Yeonjun has his eyes on the position for next year, and taemin knows it. 

But yeonjun would be damned if he was going to try sucking up to taemin like everybody else. Yeonjun doesnt beg for scraps. If he was going to become the club leader, he’s going to do it by being better than taemin. He will outdance him, his grades will be better than his, the people will like him more. He will win by his own efforts. 

“Let’s start with the second part of the choreography,” yeonjun told san. The rest of his classmates all groaned. It was the hardest part, but also the part they need the most work on. 

Yeonjun smiled at them sweetly, looking each person in the eyes. “Aw come on guys, dont be like that. Think of it this way: if we get the hard part out of the way first while you still have energy, then the rest of the class will be super easy! We might even get to leave early since we know the first part really well. Its a win-win!” he clapped his hands, encouraging excitement. 

“Yeah ok,” said daehwi, another classmate who likes to complain a lot. He’s been a pain in yeonjun’s ass since day one. just ask taehyun (who has been forced to listen to yeonjun swear he was gonna bitch slap the little shit all the way down the dance floor). But of course, on the outside yeonjun was nothing but patient with him. 

Yeonjun refused to meet eyes with the quiet first year with dark bangs and glasses towards the back of the class. He promised himself he would forget about him, and so far he’s been doing a great job of it, if he does say so himself. 

Wrong.

Yeonjun and San moved through their classmates who were currently dancing the hard parts. yeonjun had a sharp eye, pointing out mistakes and fixing their forms. He was a hard ass and very meticulous, but the others didnt complain if it meant they would pass the course with flying colors. Yeonjun might be fake-nice to everyone, but he was no pushover. He put his foot down when he needed to, and that only gained him more popularity and admiration. 

Finally, yeonjun stopped in front of the nerd. Choi Soobin. He was only a little bit taller than him, which kinda urked yeonjun but he ignored it. The way soobin talks and walks, you would think he was two times smaller than his actual size. He was shy and kind. A doormat with no confidence. He always did what he was told. 

“You need to angle your left leg more,” yeonjun told him. “Raise your arm up to a 45 degree angle.” soobin merely nodded, doing what yeonjun suggested. 

To be honest, soobin sucked. He was one of the worst in the class, and let’s just say dancing was not his forte. Soobin obviously didnt get accepted into this university by his dancing. And it wasnt from his looks either. He wasnt ugly, its just that soobin wasnt drop dead gorgeous either. He was old fashioned looking, with his glasses and dark bangs and nerdy clothes. Still, there was something about him that caught yeonjun’s eye. 

“Like this?” soobin asked quietly, looking at yeonjun through his bangs. 

“No, move your arm down a little more. You forget you are taller than most of the people here, so you have to accommodate for that in order for it to look natural with the rest of them. This is all about teamwork and group dancing,” yeonjun told him matter-of-factly. He ignored the way his pulse drummed in his ears at the way soobin was listening to his every word. 

Soobin nodded, and then tried again. And again. And again. Yeonjun spent the entire warm up with soobin, and even stood near him during the actual dance lessons when the instructor showed up. It was clear to anyone who bothered to notice that yeonjun was giving soobin special treatment. However, it was also clear that soobin needed the extra help. This class was all about teamwork, and if everyone wanted to get a good grade, they needed to all do well. 

Normally yeonjun would have lost his mind by now if it was anybody other than soobin. Yeonjun only has a little bit of patience, and teaching the same move five times in a row would drive him crazy. He would have snapped and thrown something at the poor idiot already. However, yeonjun found he wasnt as annoyed as he usually is. He could see that soobin tries hard, despite being horrible at dancing. He works harder than half of their classmates put together. No matter how many times he gets yelled at by the instructor or made fun of by a few of the other petty losers they are forced to go to school with, he continues to do his best. And that’s something yeonjun can relate to. 

Believe it or not, yeonjun wasnt always the best. His mother used to yell at him, calling him worthless and other names when he came home with second place or mediocre grades. His personal instructors beat on him and made him feel low. Ever since a young age he has spent day and night perfecting his skills. He has gotten countless bruises and sprained ankles or wrists, he has shed many tears alone in the practice rooms. And every single time he fell, he always brought himself back up. 

So really, how could yeonjun lose patience with a boy who is going through the same things yeonjun continues to go through even to this day? He can see the frustration in soobin’s eyes. He knows the other boy is aware of his lacking skills. He knows soobin is aware of his own inexperience. So why should he rub that further in his face like everyone else? What was that going to accomplish? 

For once in his life, yeonjun is actually helping someone because he _wants_ to, not because he has to. 

At the end of the class, they both collapse on the floor, breathing hard. They were sweaty from the intense work out, but yeonjun liked feeling tired. It means he spent his time doing something productive. His sore muscles and body aches were proof that he was one day closer to accomplishing his goals. 

He wordlessly passed a water bottle over to soobin. He never really talked to soobin, only giving him pointers and help from time to time. They werent friends, and they werent acquaintances. 

“Oh, thanks!” soobin said. Out of the corner of his eye, yeonjun could see soobin smiling that pretty smile of his. He forced himself not to look, only grunting a response. Then he got up, brushing off his pants and gathering his things to go. 

_“I did not send you to Big Hit University for you to mess around and get distracted! I want only the best from you, otherwise im taking you out of that school. You understand me?”_ his mother yelled at him before he started his first year two months ago. It was one of the last words he heard from her before moving into the dorms. 

Without looking back, he exited the practice room with the rest of his classmates.

**

When midterms came around, yeonjun was forced to spend more time with soobin so that he would do well. It was for the class, he kept telling himself. But honestly? San could just as well help soobin, or even wooyoung. Or even their friend yunho. They were all incredible dancers. But every time san (bless his soul) offered to take over, yeonjun dismissed him. Nobody else was allowed to help soobin. 

Yeonjun told them it was because soobin was used to his specific style of teaching and instruction and it would only confuse the poor boy. But if he was being honest with himself, he didnt want anybody else around the nerdy boy. 

Yeonjun found it amusing watching soobin sometimes. He certainly has gotten better, but he still sucked from a professional standpoint. He was like a baby deer, all arms and legs, and no grace. 

But yeonjun could see the potential in him. Soobin was a powerful dancer. He could do forceful moves, and if he trained a bit more he could even be graceful as he did it. Yeonjun was the complete opposite. Yeonjun was fluid and elegant when he danced. Their body types were totally different, and it reflected in their dancing. 

Yeonjun was staring at soobin so intently, he didnt even notice that class had ended and almost everybody was gone. He gathered his things and made his way to the door. He needed a shower really bad. 

As he was walking down the hall, San ran up to him, hooking an arm around his shoulders. 

“What’s been on your mind lately?” he asked yeonjun with a snicker. Yeonjun glanced at him, slightly annoyed at the intrusion of his thoughts, but he held himself back. 

“Nothing much. Just midterms, trying to think of ways to help out our classmates, stuff like that,” yeonjun answered back vaguely. San still didnt remove his arm from his shoulders, and if it was anybody else, yeonjun would have brushed him off harshly. But he likes san (to a degree) and so he tolerated it. For now.

“Help out our classmates? Or perhaps just a _certain_ classmate?” san wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. He was teasing him. Yeonjun knew he was teasing him, but he didnt take the bait.

“Well, of course soobin is at the top of my priority list. If we all want to move on to the next semester, he needs to be just as good as the rest of us,” yeonjun answered smoothly. 

“You really are worried about him, arent you? You know that if he cant improve, he isnt going to pass. That’s just the way of things. Honestly yeonjun, i dont think he’s going to make the cut. And im not saying that in a bad way. Some people just arent meant for the performing arts,” san shook his head sadly. 

That annoyed the hell out yeonjun. He wanted to get up in san’s face and ask him who was _he_ to talk like that. But san was right, in a way, and yeonjun hated it. So he did the only thing he was used to doing. He deflected the situation away from himself and his true feelings. 

He snorted at san. “Worried about him? No, not at all. Im worried about me. Its no secret i want to do well, just like the rest of us here. To be honest, i was thinking that im wasting too much of my time with him. Instead of getting ahead and focusing on my own dancing, ive been spending too much time helping him with the basics.” yeonjun sighed a tired sigh. “He’s not confident at all. He’s too shy, and too nice. He doesnt seem to have a personality. However, he really does try his best. I get it, he wants to do well too. But sometimes doing your best isnt enough... Sometimes, doing your best every time _is_ the best that you can do.”

San nodded in agreement, and together they walked down the hall back to their dorms. 

They never once noticed the lone figure lingering in the background behind them. He was able to hear everything they just said, from the beginning to the end. 

He dropped his duffle bag to the ground, standing in his spot as he looked down. His dark bangs and glasses hid the sadness in his eyes. 

_“Sometimes, doing your best every time_ is _the best that you can do.”_

**

Those words lingered in soobin’s heart and mind for two more years. They were what fueled him to rise from the bottom. A hidden diamond in the rough. 

After that incident, soobin never spoke with yeonjun again. They went on their way, entering into their own respective programs at the university. Yeonjun seemed to completely forget about soobin, and for that soobin couldnt have been more thankful. 

Yeonjun won many dance competitions. He won the election as the leader of the dance club. (Taemin wasnt too happy about that). He was number one in singing, dancing, and rapping, and never let anybody forget it. He was friends with everybody, even the underclassmen. 

He was perfect, flawless, shiny and polished. He shone brighter than any of them. He rose higher than all of them. Soobin was just a mere spectator, hidden in the splendor of his shadow. 

Soobin couldnt stand him. He got tired of hearing how great yeonjun was, how cool yeonjun was, how pretty and compassionate he was. 

Why couldnt anyone else see it? Why couldnt they see that he didnt care about them? He didnt care about their problems, he didnt care about their words of admiration and praise, he didnt care about their opinions of him. Why must they continue to seek his attention? Why do they feel the need to gain his approval? 

Soobin was annoyed with how mindless everyone seemed to be. They were only using yeonjun for their own benefit. It was pathetic.

Yeonjun annoyed the hell out of soobin. He found his fake smile annoying, his fake words of enthusiasm annoying, his fake actions of patience and compassion annoying. 

Choi Yeonjun was just _annoying._

But what annoyed soobin most of all, was the look of loneliness on yeonjun’s face at the end of the day. The way yeonjun would smile and wave everyone off, but then turn right back around and spend hours at night perfecting his skills alone. The way everyone complimented him on how effortless his talents were, playfully complaining about how they wish they could be born with his gifts so they wouldnt have to try so hard. 

It annoyed him how they couldnt see it. Yeonjun worked ten times harder than any of them, soobin included. 

Yes, everything about Choi Yeonjun annoyed the hell out of soobin to no end... and he repeatedly told himself over the years that he had no idea why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!  
> If you are familiar with my first txt fic 'Notice Me' then you knew this fic was coming.   
> This first chapter is simply the set up and background for the story. The real fun and games begins in the next chapter! I will post it really soon!
> 
> ALSO DISCLAIMER:  
> I love all kpop idols! so don't get offended if I make some of their characters annoying or mean for the sake of the story (for example: daehwi being annoying or taemin being mean)


	2. Chapter Two

_"what?"_ yeonjun said in a very calm and disturbing tone. 

taehyun almost laughed with amusement at yeonjun's anger. "I said...a fellow member of the music club convinced the student council president and vice president that they should get more for their budget. which ultimately means _you_ lose some of your budget for your dance club to help compensate." 

yeonjun stared at the notice in his hand, willing the small inked letters to say something different. taehyun was right. his club was getting cut some of their money so that the puny music club could have more. this was outrageous!

yeonjun snapped, tearing up the paper into a million pieces and throwing it to the floor. then he started stomping on them, crushing them into the carpet as if that would solve all of his problems. taehyun smirked, showing no reaction to yeonjun's temper tantrum. he's known him long enough for this to become a regular occurrence.

"I take it you aren't happy with this news," taehyun said stupidly. yeonjun glared at him with daggers in his eyes.

"who is this music club member?" he asked calmly again, straightening his jacket and brushing off some imaginary dust from his sleeve, acting like he didn't just trash the place like a five year old. it honestly was quite impressive to taehyun how he could just switch moods like that. 

"his name is Choi Soobin, also a third year like yourself, majoring in music," taehyun said, spilling all of the details and singing like a canary. taehyun was a part of the music club himself, so it was no wonder he had this information ready to go for yeonjun. what can he say? he loves soobin, but it was just way too much fun seeing yeonjun lose his shit. yeonjun was one of the most popular students on campus, but he hides his true personality quite well. most people think he's mature, sophisticated, gentle, and a prince. in reality yeonjun was a spoiled brat, loses his temper all of the time, loves to make fun of people behind their backs, and has a superiority complex. only taehyun and a select few other people know what yeonjun is truly like. they still love him all the same though.

besides, taehyun was bored, and he's been yeonjun's friend longer than he's been friends with soobin. now he just needs to sit back and watch what happens. maybe get some popcorn. (taehyun was also a little rotten shit like yeonjun, he just doesn't hide it like yeonjun does)

" _choi soobin_ ," yeonjun hissed the name out like it was acid on his tongue. "im going to destroy him for daring to take my club's money," he promised. 

**

soobin was walking home after class on the busy campus after finishing up his next assignment for the week. it was a beautiful piece he and hueningkai teamed up on. hyuka was going to play the piano while they both sang a ballad song. they were surely going to get the top grades in the class, aside from taehyun of course. 

he gripped his bag tighter on his shoulders, secretly smiling to himself knowing he was going to get an easy A this week. he needs the top grades if he ever has any hope for running for student council president next year. once he manages to become the council president, his resume would be golden for any job opportunities after he graduates. 

so far his college life was going smoothly, and nothing could ruin his good fortune. 

until today that is.

soobin didnt pay much mind to the angry looking boy stomping his way on the sidewalk. there were a ton of other college students roaming around who looked just as miserable or tired. however, his blue hair did finally catch soobin’s attention. only one person could pull off such vibrant hair like that and still look super hot.

choi yeonjun. most popular boy in the third year class on campus. leader of the dance club, and winner of every dance competition imaginable. he's also one of the top students in the grade. 

and the bane of soobin's existence. 

Its not because yeonjun is popular and the talk of the town that bothers soobin. Its what he did when they were first years that really grates on his nerves. It may be a stupid reason to despise someone, but soobin has held a grudge ever since. And to make matters worse, the jerk totally forgot about him, not even recognizing who he was. 

So taking that into account, is it petty of soobin to smirk as he watched yeonjun stomp up to him with a look of hatred? Yes. yes it was, and soobin was loving every second of it. 

“You! Choi Soobin!” yeonjun shouted, pointing a finger at soobin. Soobin pointed a finger at himself, faking surprise and confusion. 

“Me? Can i help you?” he asked, pretending not to know who yeonjun was. 

Yeonjun stopped right in front of soobin, his anger boiling inside of him. He was forced to look up into soobin’s face, the other boy surprisingly taller than him by a few inches. Way much taller than when they were first years. This just made yeonjun even more pissed off. 

“How dare you go behind everyone’s backs to the student council. You think you are funny? You think this a joke?!” yeonjun hissed out. 

“I dont know what you are talking about….uhm?” soobin began, feigning innocence. 

“Choi yeonjun. My name is choi yeonjun. Everybody knows that,” yeonjun snarled. 

“Oh, well i guess not everybody then,” soobin shrugged. Yeonjun gritted his teeth, obviously bothered by this. The corner of soobin’s mouth lifted up slightly at that. Yeonjun noticed, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

“Dont play stupid with me. You know exactly what you did, and i want you to go and take it back. My club needs the money for the upcoming competitions.” 

Soobin pretended to frown, showing a look of concern. “I didnt know your club was doing so poorly that they needed extra money. Im truly sorry to hear that.” soobin clutched his chest, shaking his head. 

Yeonjun’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. “Did you just...i cant believe- are you _serious_ right now?!” he spluttered. 

Soobin shrugged again, smirking. This time yeonjun knew for sure that he was messing with him. Which caused his short-fused temper to blow up like a bomb. He stomped forward, gripping soobin’s shirt in his fist and glaring at the taller boy. 

“Listen here you little shit. Nobody, and i mean _nobody_ messes with my club and gets in the way of my dancing! If you dont go back and tell the president and vice president that your pathetic little music club doesnt need the money, then i swear to god-” he started to threaten soobin. 

However, soobin cut him off. He had the audacity to interrupt _The Choi Yeonjun_ mid-rant. 

“Nah. i dont think im going to do that,” he said, looking down at yeonjun with amusement despite yeonjun’s obvious act of violence gripping his shirt in public. 

“What did you just say?” yeonjun said in a deathly quiet tone. It would scare anybody who was on the receiving end of it. However, soobin wasnt even phased. 

“Did i stutter? Want me to say that slower?” soobin replied in a bratty tone. 

Yeonjun grinded his teeth, finding the urge to pummel this kid into the pavement. Soobin smiled at him sweetly and leaned forward so they were face to face. 

“Now hyung, you dont want to cause a bigger scene in front of everybody here, do you? What would people think if they found out that _Choi Yeonjun,_ prince and role model of the campus, was actually a spoiled little brat who throws a tantrum when he doesnt get what he wants?” 

Yeonjun continued to glare at soobin, their faces so close that their noses were touching. He didnt have a reply to that, and soobin knew he won that round, his cocky smile never leaving his face.

**

Yeonjun tapped his pencil on the desk, thinking deeply on how to get back at soobin. After what he did the other day, this meant total warfare, yeonjun was petty like that. According to taehyun, soobin was planning on running for student council president once their sunbaes graduated. 

Slamming his hands down on the desk, yeonjun made up his mind. He was going to run for president as well, taking the spot away from soobin. Plus it would enhance his chances of getting a job later if he acquired another position of leadership. He never cared for running in the student council (you actually have to _like_ people in order to govern them), but he can make an exception this time. He has no doubt he would win against soobin by a landslide. He smirked evilly and chuckled to himself in the empty room. 

Was he psychotic and crazy? Yes. Would that stop him from taking over this whole college campus just to rub it in soobin’s face for an entire year? Not at all. 

**

Soobin huffed and puffed all the way back to his dorms. He was beyond pissed off after finding out the unfortunate news that _choi yeonjun_ was going to run for student council. He doesnt even _like_ doing boring old stuff like that! He has never once shown an interest in being on the council! All he cares about is dancing! 

It was very obvious to soobin that yeonjun is clearly doing this on purpose just to get back at him for taking away some of his club’s budget money. 

How dare he use his popularity and good looks for evil! Soobin is going to have a tough time trying to beat him. There’s no way he can take on someone as admired and loved as yeonjun was…

Soobin shook his head. No. he wasnt going to think like that anymore. Just because yeonjun was number one in everything doesnt mean he would make a good student council president and lead the student body on campus. It takes more than that to be a leader. Ever since that day he overheard yeonjun tell san that he wasnt going to make it because of his lack of confidence and shy personality, he promised himself to strive to be better. 

Because as much as soobin hates to admit it, yeonjun’s harsh words were right. Soobin needed to think better of himself. He needed to go the extra mile, step up and aim to be a better version of himself. He needed to crawl out of his shell and comfort zone and work hard not only on his physical abilities, but his mental ones as well.

Soobin hates the fact that he owes yeonjun big time for making him realize his own faults. Ever since that day, soobin wakes up with a positive attitude. He tells himself he can do it, just put one foot in front of the other, keep moving forward without looking back. He forces himself to interact with other people (despite his shyness), he forces himself to work harder than anyone else (besides yeonjun). He forces himself to reach out a hand for help, recognizing he is lacking and needs it. These last two years have been life changing for soobin, and it was all secretly thanks to yeonjun. 

Soobin has grown as a person. He stomped down on his weaknesses, and became a beacon of hope for others. Everybody across campus has grown to love him. He is still a bit soft and nice, but he was _more_ than that now. He always helps out where he could. He guides his underclassmen with a gentle but forceful hand. He became involved in lots of campus and club activities. His professors have complimented him on his hard work and positive attitude. 

All of these things have led him to gain some great friends. He couldnt really connect with his fellow classmates in the third year (and he would rather die than be friends with yeonjun), but he found making friends with his underclassmen was much easier. Hueningkai was a first year that joined the music program due to his extraordinary talent in anything instrumental and musical. He sings wonderfully, and soobin has been coaching him on the basics to help enhance his voice. He walked into class one day and noticed hueningkai sitting in a corner, looking lost and unsure of himself. He cant say he blames the poor boy. Soobin has heard the whispers about a new foreigner joining the first years. But just because he was a little bit different didnt mean he wasnt a good person. Plus he was super adorable. Soobin swore to unofficially adopt him, and so he sat down next to hueningkai after a day of practice, handed him a water bottle, and reached out a hand to introduce himself. 

Then there was taehyun. Taehyun was a first year prodigy in singing, and honestly didnt need much help. But his brash and very blunt demeanor and attitude has scared his other classmates away, and so soobin often saw the poor boy alone. Not that he thought taehyun cared about being alone, but it brought back bad memories of the times soobin always spent his first year sitting alone at lunch and whatnot, so soobin bravely stepped forward and reached a hand out towards taehyun. Surprisingly, taehyun didnt seem as scary as he first thought, and even had an adorable little laugh. Despite hueningkai’s child-like manners, he was wise beyond his years (and he was also bat shit crazy), so getting along with taehyun took him a total of like ten seconds. They often giggle together in a corner when soobin would have to leave and take care of other business as a third year. 

Finally, there was beomgyu. He was a moody little second year, but soobin finds his company pleasant. Beomgyu was majoring in dance and producing, but he was one hell of a singer too. He had a nice low voice that soobin knows all the ladies will love one day. Soobin happened to be walking in the hallway during his second year and noticed a smaller boy sitting on the floor by the vending machines. Soobin was still getting in the hang of being more extroverted, so his first words to beomgyu were a little bit rocky. Nevertheless, it did the trick. He asked beomgyu why he was sitting all by himself, and well, beomgyu explained that he just transferred in later than everyone else and they already formed their own cliques and friend groups. Soobin’s heart went out to beomgyu, understanding exactly where he came from, and he extended his hand out to him. He was the first official friend that soobin made in that god-forsaken place. 

Soobin opened the door to his dorm room and flicked on the lights. He blinked at the three figures on his couch, frowning at them as he took off his shoes. 

“How the hell did you three get in here?” he asked. Beomgyu and taehyun were sitting side by side with hueningkai sprawled across their laps. They were watching a movie while eating _his_ snacks. 

“Hueningkai let us in,” taehyun answered, stealing the bag of chips out of beomgyu’s hand and eating it for himself. 

“How the hell did hyuka get into my dorm, im the only one with the key and- you know what? Im not even going to ask,” soobin sighed, shaking his head. He learned quickly to never question the things hueningkai does. That boy can literally rob a bank and nobody would know how he did it. 

Beomgyu grunted, wanting the snacks back again. He went to reach for them, but taehyun held it out of his reach. “Yah!” he shouted at the younger boy. Taehyun smirked, eating another chip. “Hand it over you whale!” 

“Not until im done,” taehyun chuckled. Beomgyu’s upper lip curled slightly, and he twisted his body to reach for them again. Taehyun playfully moved his hand out of reach, causing beomgyu to lean over him. 

“You dont even _like_ those chips that much!” he argued, leaning more over taehyun and getting into his face extremely close. Hueningkai grunted, his legs falling off beomgyu’s lap at his abrupt movements. Taehyun smirked, holding the chips out as far as his arm would go. Pure joy was present in his eyes as beomgyu pouted and tried to get them back. 

“True, but i know you do, so you cant have them,” he teased, lifting his face up slightly. Beomgyu didnt realize just how close their lips were, his focus completely on his chips. He also didnt notice the slight blush on taehyun’s cheeks. If taehyun leaned forward just a nudge, he would have the chance to finally taste beomgyu like he’s always wanted to do since he first started university and met soobin, which evidently led him to meeting beomgyu. 

“Would you two quit flirting and give me all of my snacks back,” soobin sighed, rolling his eyes. That seemed to snap beomgyu out of his rage, finally realizing just what kind of position he and taehyun were in. he blinked, shifting quickly to sit back on the couch like normal. He crossed his arms over his chest and pouted over his failed attempt to get his (soobin’s) chips back from taehyun. 

Taehyun sent a glare over the couch towards soobin for interrupting his precious time to tease beomgyu. Soobin raised an eyebrow up in challenge, daring taehyun to say anything that contradicted his earlier statement. They _were_ flirting, even if it was more on taehyun’s part. When they first met, soobin immediately recognized spurring beomgyu on and teasing him was taehyun's way of showing affection for the older boy. Beomgyu was too clueless to see it though. Hueningkai and soobin both ignored them and their antics. There wasnt a day that goes by when beomgyu and taehyun weren't arguing or fighting over something stupid. 

Hyuka licked his fingertips, sitting up off of taehyun and beomgyu’s laps since they were being annoying. “I would love to give them back my soobinnie hyung, but i just ate all the cheese puffs. They are all in my belly,” he laughed, rubbing his stomach. Soobin grumbled at that. 

“Great, as if this day couldnt get worse,” he muttered. He walked over to his couch, throwing himself onto taehyun and beomgyu’s laps in hueningkai’s place since there was no where else to sit. 

“Aw, what’s the matter soobinnie?” beomgyu asked. Soobin has long ago told his friends to drop the honorifics since they were all so close, but hyuka still uses it from time to time because he thinks he’s being cute. Usually it works though. 

“Somebody told _yeonjun_ (he said the word like it was a disease) that i was running for student council, and that piece of trash decided to sign up just to spite me,” soobin whined to them. 

“Who the hell would do that?! Also how the heck did they know you were going to run? Only we knew…” hueningkai trailed off, his quick eyes flicking from beomgyu to taehyun. 

Beomgyu held up his hands in surrender. “Dont look at me! Last time i talked to yeonjun was in dance practice yesterday, and that was mostly on which routines we were going to be doing for the month.” 

Taehyun continued to munch on his chips. He was never a liar, which the rest of them love about him, even though his truthful comments can be harsh from time to time. He was getting better though. “Oh yeah, i told him the other day,” taehyun freely admitted without fear. 

“You what?!” hueningkai shrieked loudly (unnecessarily). 

Taehyun shrugged. “He was so mad at soobin convincing the student council to take away some of his club’s budget money, and he wanted to know everything about soobin. So i told him.” soobin swears his heart didnt skip a beat at the fact that yeonjun wanted to know more about him, he swears. 

“We always knew you would be the traitor,” hueningkai hissed, narrowing his eyes at taehyun and putting his hands on his hips as he stared down at them like a mother scolding her children.

Taehyun rolled his eyes. “Quit being so dramatic hyuka. sometime this week the list will go up of the candidates running for student council, so it doesnt matter if yeonjun finds out now or later. And besides, you guys already know im good friends with him. We’ve been together since high school.”

“And ive been friends with him ever since he helped me out with my dance during first year!” beomgyu piped in. “he’s actually really nice...past the whole dictator act. My dancing has improved though!” 

yes, they all are aware of yeonjun's true nature. as far as soobin can tell, they are the only four who know about yeonjun's 'fake act' of niceness and compassion he likes to throw at people around campus. they've all witnessed yeonjun's horrible temper and even worse displays of destruction at some point. taehyun thinks its amusing (no surprise there), beomgyu thinks its endearing (he's a strange boy), and hueningkai couldn't give two shits. soobin has always seen it from day one, back when they were first years. he often stayed behind to practice more than the other students (he sucked big time in dance), and yeonjun was always there with him. yeonjun oftentimes forgot he had company. it took great effort for soobin not to laugh his ass off at the way yeonjun would grumble under his breath every time someone asked him to do something for them. 

“You both are traitors,” soobin grumbled. “The ‘B’ and ‘T’ in ‘betrayal’ stand for ‘beomgyu’ and ‘taehyun.’” 

Taehyun let out a loud laugh at that. “Hey, that’s a good one,” he snickered, resting a warm hand on soobin’s shoulder. Soobin sniffed, nudging taehyun's hand off in a petty manner. He wasnt really mad, but he was still annoyed that yeonjun is doing something so childish just to get back at him. 

Hueningkai reluctantly raised his hand with guilt as well. “He also helps me out whenever soobin or beomgyu isnt available. He surprisingly knows quite a bit about playing the piano and composing music. He lends an ear for me whenever i compose a new song.” 

Soobin made a gasp of shock. 

“Aw hyung, dont be like that. Yeonjun isnt that bad of a guy. So what if he loses his temper often, and kind of swears, and ok maybe destroys things on a whim? He honestly is good at what he does, and doesnt hesitate to help us out when we ask for it. Plus its hilarious seeing him try and be fake-nice to everybody. I can see the vein in his forehead pop sometimes when he tries to hold himself back,” beomgyu laughed. Taehyun nodded, agreeing. “I dont know what happened between you two and why you are so mad at him, but you cant expect us to feel the same way towards him that you feel.” he then wrapped his arms around soobin’s shoulders, letting the older boy lean back into his chest while he played with his hair soothingly. 

“Yeah, what _did_ happen between you two?” taehyun asked. “Yeonjun wouldnt even tell _me,_ and we’ve been friends for years.”

"probably because he knew you would blackmail him later," beomgyu hissed at him. taehyun stuck his tongue out at him cutely. 

“Nothing, its stupid,” soobin mumbled, letting beomgyu mess up his hair and comb through his bangs. He got rid of his glasses after his first year, opting to wear contacts. He also tried to style his hair every now and then, and dress a bit better. Just those few changes immediately gained him some popularity with the girls in his second year. He was by no means as fashionable as the others, but he still looked good in that classy-sexy sort of way. 

“Well whatever it is, i hope you two figure it out and make up already,” hueningkai rolled his eyes. 

“Or you can battle it out with each other for student council president,” taehyun suggested mischievously. Beomgyu sent a glare over at him, causing the younger boy to shrug. What? He was bored. 

“We are gonna have to,” soobin told him, turning his head to face taehyun. Beomgyu continued to shift his bangs back and forth while he spoke. Soobin never minded though (he had the patience of a saint, especially with the younger ones). “I need that position to show that im willing to step out of my comfort zone and be a leader. It will show everybody im not afraid to take charge. It’s a challenge i want to take on for myself. Yeonjun doesnt need that. He already has proven himself ten times over that he is confident and can handle a position like that. _That’s_ why im mad he’s running for president.” 

“Just because yeonjun has the confidence and skills under his belt, doesnt mean he’s the best candidate for being the leader,” taehyun said a bit bluntly. That could be perceived as harsh, especially since he was yeonjun's friend, but he was only being honest. A leader doesnt mean you have to be the best at everything. 

“Still, people are going to vote for him because they all love him. Im not saying i wont get votes too, but i dont think it will be enough to beat out the most popular boy in our third year,” soobin sighed. He hates that he’s already starting to admit defeat. 

Everyone was silent in the room for a few seconds. But then finally taehyun spoke up. 

“It’s true that i kind of started this by telling yeonjun soobin’s plan to run for council, but i didnt say i wasn't going to help him,” he smirked. 

Beomgyu looked over at him. “Are you saying what i think you’re saying?” 

Taehyun nodded in confirmation. “We are going to help soobin win the election.”

Hueningkai rubbed his hands together evilly. “You can count me in. i love yeonjunnie hyung, but this is way too much fun not to join in.”

Soobin looked around at the three of them, surprise on his face. 

Beomgyu nodded in agreement. “Let’s see if we can get soobin to take down the number one kid in his year.” he high-fived with taehyun. 

**

Yeonjun lifted his fingers up and pressed them together, his elbows resting on the glass conference table in front of him. He smirked evilly behind his hands while relaxing and watching the chaos around him. All of the candidates who wish to run for any position on the student council have to come to this meeting to discuss the basic rules and conditions for starting their campaign around campus. It was led by their current president and vice president. Missing a meeting like this so early in the game would look very bad in the eyes of the others. 

With clever eyes, he flicked his gaze back and forth around the table, assessing the people that were present. The meeting was going to start in less than 5 minutes, and everybody was scrambling to get a seat. 

He ticked off the people at the table. _“Mark Lee, second year. Quite ambitious. He probably would win. Lee Donghyuck, who goes by the nickname of Haechan, also a second year. Probably the only one that can compete against mark’s status.”_ his eyes roamed over to the other part of the long glass table. _“Johnny and Ten. both looked regal and smart.”_ yeonjun frowned at them slightly. If they were planning on running for president and vice president, then he might have to eliminate them as serious competition. _“Yeosang and yunho. They were a pretty tight pair of friends, one can never be found without the other.”_ people might vote for them too, so yeonjun has to add them to the list. They had the whole ‘bromance’ thing going for them. He flicked his eyes to another corner of the room. _“Kim Seungmin and Hwang Hyunjin. Seungmin was the smartest kid in the second year and hyunjin was one hell of a dancer.”_ they were total opposites, but it oddly enough worked for them. yes, they could easily win whatever position they wanted to run for. 

The list went on and on, the room slowly getting packed beyond capacity. Despite all of the people present, yeonjun didnt see the one person he was looking for. He wanted to laugh in joy when the meeting started and soobin still wasnt present. 

_Bye bye, soobinnie,_ he thought. If devil horns could pop out of his head, they would have by now. 

**

Let’s rewind to exactly 30 minutes before this meeting. Soobin was rushing across campus to make it on time. His vocal lesson went over an extra 10 minutes, so he was pushing for time. Still, he would make it as long as nothing got in his way. 

Well, he should have known better. 

Taehyun stopped him before he could reach the fourth floor where the meeting was being held in one of the conference rooms. 

“Taehyun, what the hell? Move out of my way before im late!” he said with a panicked tone. He looked at his watch. He has less than 5 minutes left before they start. He wanted to groan. There was no way he was going to get a seat now. 

“Nope, yeonjunnie told me to stall you so that you will miss the meeting,” taehyun said joyfully, gripping his hands behind his back and lifting on his toes in a cute boyish manner. 

“What?” soobin practically yelled. “And you just listened to him? Outta my way shortie!” soobin made to move around him, but taehyun again got in his way. 

“Well of course i would, im his friend after all,” taehyun told him matter-of-factly. 

“But what about helping me win the election?” soobin pouted. 

“Im also doing that as well. Why cant i help out both of my friends at the same time? Im never one for picking favorites, you know this hyung.” 

“Total bullshit. You favor beomgyu over all of us, with hueningkai as a close second. I dont blame you about hueningkai, though. That kid is so adorable and could literally do no wrong,” soobin said, puffing up his lips and giving taehyun a kicked puppy look. 

Taehyun’s face slightly tinted at the whole beomgyu comment, but he chose to ignore it. “Soobin, you have such little faith in me. I did my part for yeonjun. I stalled you so that you are late. Now its my turn to help you out.”

Soobin sighed then brushed his long bangs back in anxiety. Being late never really bothered him (he usually did what he wanted) but he hates being late to important things. Especially when his future was involved. He’s going to have to retaliate at yeonjun later, that son of a bitch.

“Ok, what do you have in mind to fix this mess and make me look semi-decent in front of our current president and vice pres?” 

Taehyun gave him an angelic smile that caused soobin to become wary. He motioned for soobin to bend down so that he could whisper in his ear while on his tip toes. 

“When you walk into the room, make sure you say this…”

Soobin nodded, listening intently.

**

_Well, this was easier than i thought._ Yeonjun silently rejoiced in his seat while the meeting continued. It’s been well over five minutes since it started, and everyone was listening eagerly. Currently the vice president was showing them a slide show, the room’s lights darkening so that everyone can see the screen. He was droning on and on about due dates and form submissions, and the criteria for each different position and their roles and responsibilities. Yeonjun wanted to yawn, completely bored out of his skull. 

There was no sign of soobin, meaning taehyun pulled through and stalled him. He was feeling great joy at the thought of soobin turning around and giving up with his tail between his legs. Soobin should know better than to try and take _The Choi Yeonjun_ on. Nobody can win against him, especially not a nerdy and shy boy like soobin.

Ok, so soobin doesnt look so nerdy anymore compared to first year. And he’s definitely not as shy as yeonjun remembered him to be. In fact he was way past that stage of his life. He was _mouthwatering_. He was cute with his glasses, but gorgeous without them. Yeonjun could tell he has been working out these past few years, and god did he grow so freaking tall! And to make matters worse, he still has that cheeky boyish charm about him, with that stupid beautiful dimpled smile and sparkling eyes-

Yeonjun gripped his pen tighter, refusing to think any further about choi fucking soobin. 

The meeting continued for another few minutes when suddenly the door banged open and a tall figure walked in. 

yeonjun blinked in surprise. He honestly didnt think soobin would still show up, knowing he would look bad if he came to an important meeting late. Yeonjun glanced around the table of other candidates, noting their equal looks of surprise.

“Ah, Choi Soobin. I’m so happy you could join us,” the vice president said in a bored voice. “Please take a seat,” he motioned to the room, but there was no other seat available. 

Yeonjun expected soobin to nod and do as he asked, shrinking in on himself and trying to blend in, but soobin didnt budge from his spot. He straightened his shirt and stared at the president and vice president directly in the eyes. 

“I know you dont want to hear any excuses for why im late to this meeting, but i just wanted to explain myself in the hopes of clearing any misunderstandings,” he said to the room with a steady voice. This peaked yeonjun’s interest. What could he possibly say that would get him out of this one unscathed?

“On my way here, a student stopped me in the halls, asking for my help,” soobin continued. Yeonjun wanted to snort. He knew very well that this ‘student’ was actually taehyun, all thanks to his brilliant plan to sabotage soobin. “And i knew this meeting was especially important to me, but stopping what i was doing and taking care of my fellow students despite my busy schedule is even more important to me. What kind of person would i be if i ignored someone who needed my help all so that i could make it to a meeting claiming i ‘help’ others? I would have been a hypocrite.” 

With that, soobin bowed, walking towards one of the walls of the room so that he can stand out of the way and watch the rest of the meeting. the president nodded in approval, whispering something to his vice president. 

Yeonjun blinked at him in surprise, speechless, just like the rest of the room. Soobin walked by, deliberately ignoring all of the stares. Some were looks of admiration, some were looks of skepticism. It didnt matter to him. He walked through the room like he belonged there. 

Yeonjun swallowed, his eyes never leaving soobin as he walked past him. It was in that moment, yeonjun realized another flaw of his to add to the ever-growing list. 

He judged Choi Soobin too soon. 

yeonjun licked his dry lips, the room suddenly too warm for his liking. Soobin deliberately ignored him, walking across the room and taking a spot standing directly across from him. Still, yeonjun shamelessly stared at him, studying his face. 

And then finally, _finally_ , soobin’s eyes met his own. And just like it did almost three years ago, it took yeonjun’s breath away. There was something in his eyes he couldn’t avoid. It was an intense feeling that kept him rooted to the spot. His heart started racing, never once forgetting the way he felt when he glanced at him for the very first time. 

However, this time it was different. Yes, maybe he judged Choi Soobin too soon.

Or maybe he didnt.

Perhaps yeonjun was right about him all along. Because from the moment yeonjun first met this boy, he could never take his eyes off of him. From the moment he first noticed a shy and meek boy standing at the end of a long line of faceless people, his instincts told him this nerd would be the cause of his downfall. 

Because the only thing Choi Yeonjun cared about was himself. What would happen when a day comes that yeonjun starts to care about someone other than himself? 

So he stared at soobin, caught up in the moment. He wants soobin to look at him like that forever. And _only_ him. A strong possessiveness started to overtake him. The heat and attraction was intense between them, anyone could clearly notice if they paid enough attention to either one of them. 

And then soobin broke it. He smirked at yeonjun and flicked his eyes to the screen, choosing to ignore yeonjun the rest of the hour-long meeting, focusing intently on what was being said. Yeonjun grit his teeth at the obvious dismissal, sudden deja vu returning to him. He gripped his pen so hard he was surprised it didnt snap in two. 

One minute he was confident and sure of himself, and just like that, soobin had him feeling like he jumped off of a cliff blind-folded. The flames were back, coursing through him. Only soobin has been able to get him this riled up. What that means, he chooses to ignore for now. 

Because right now, his sights are set on soobin and only soobin. This was an all out war between the two of them, and he wasnt going to stop until one of them falls first. 

However, which one of them that is going to be, he has no idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. right now there is a lot of set up and back story.  
> next chapter for sure starts the craziness!


	3. Chapter Three

The upcoming weeks have been...interesting, to say the least. It was pretty obvious to everyone on campus that yeonjun and soobin were competing for student council president in the upcoming elections. Most of the other candidates stayed out of their way. Yeonjun was actually surprised that none of them wanted to run themselves, but considering what has been happening, maybe it was a good idea they stayed out of the crossfire.

Yeonjun came back from practice one day to find all of his campaign flyers sabotaged. He clearly left them in his club room storage unit, ready to go so that he could hang them up soon, but what he saw before him made him gasp in horror (he was dramatic like that).

All of his beautiful flyers with his gorgeous face on them were scribbled on. Each picture was different. One had a sharpie mustache drawn on his lips, the other had a unibrow, the list went on and on. And in each of the corners, there was the same chibi face drawn in ink, winking with one eye and sticking out its tongue. 

Yeonjun narrowed his eyes at the drawing. It was a calling card. 

“You seem upset yeonjunnie hyung,” a voice softly called out to him from the doorway. The deep tone to it made him shiver in pleasure. But instead of melting at the sound of it, he glared up at the taller boy with daggers in his eyes. 

“Of course im upset,” he hissed out between his full lips. “Somebody ruined my perfectly good looking face on all of these flyers.” he squinted his eyes in hatred at soobin. They both damn well knew who did this. 

Soobin took a step closer to him, leaning over his shoulder in fake sincerity as he looked at the scattered papers. “I dont know… the flyers look a lot better to me. It really adds character,” he snorted softly near yeonjun’s ear. 

Yeonjun turned around abruptly so that they were face to face, the flyers getting crumpled in his closing fist. “Looks better?! You cant even see my beautiful wink now because of your shitty drawings! Seriously, art is another one of the talents you lack in!” it was a low blow, but instead of getting upset, soobin found it amusing how genuinely frustrated yeonjun seemed to be about his ruined pictures. 

Feeling bold, soobin leaned in closer to yeonjun so that their noses were practically touching. “Hmm,” he hummed. “You call that a wink? Both your eyes are closed. I was doing you a favor,” he taunted. From this standpoint, they were impossibly close for it to be considered casual or even friendly. It took everything he had to control himself and not grab the older boy by the waist so that they would be even closer. 

Reluctantly, soobin took a step back, the air suddenly colder now that he was further away from yeonjun. He turned and made his way to the doorway. Before leaving (or before yeonjun beat him up, whichever came first), he stopped and turned back to yeonjun with a smirk. 

“Better get busy hyung. The campaign starts soon and you dont want to be the only one without flyers.” then he winked and stuck his tongue out at the same time, mimicking the chibi picture that stared up at yeonjun from a hundred different pictures like they were taunting him. 

Soobin laughed as he closed the door, hearing yeonjun shout in anger as he threw all the ruined flyers up in the air, letting them scatter and flutter down across the floor around him. 

**

Soobin was cheerfully putting cupcakes onto a platter, getting ready to pass them out while telling people to vote for him. They were chocolate cupcakes (who doesnt like chocolate?) with blue frosting. He just needed to do the finishing touches with his matching blue sprinkles. Anyone who buys the cupcakes gets their money sent to the animal shelter near campus. It was a sure way to gain voters from people who loved animals and pets, and it showed soobin was aware of the growing social and environmental problems around their campus. A win-win in his opinion.

Taehyun was supposed to be helping him, but he was being useless sitting on the bench next to him and reading a book. He promised soobin he would count the money once he starts selling them since he was faster at math. That was fine by soobin. If he didnt have a calculator, he was hopeless in math. Why do we need to do math in our heads anyways if we have calculators and other technology to do it for us? He told as much to taehyun, but the younger boy just merely rolled his eyes at him, going back to his book. 

Soobin finished sprinkling a dozen cupcakes with the finishing touches, ready to move on to the other dozen, when beomgyu skipped forward happily. He was sweating from recently working out, his tank top sticking like glue to his figure. He brushed back his bangs, combing his fingers through his blonde hair. 

“Hiya guys! Oooh these cupcakes look really good!” he clapped excitedly. 

“Thanks, hyuka helped me make them last night,” soobin laughed. “We should become bakers if music doesnt work out for us. These were surprisingly not that hard to do, if i do say so myself,” he bragged, rubbing the tip of his nose in confidence. 

Taehyun snorted loudly next to him, finally looking up from his book. “You are such a liar. The kitchen is completely destroyed after you two tried to ‘bake’ and even the fire alarm went off…” taehyun trailed off, his eyes finally locking on beomgyu.

Taehyun swallowed, his mouth dry at beomgyu’s disheveled state. His eyes roamed up and down his body, unable to help himself. Beomgyu put his full attention to taehyun, tilting his head slightly while waiting for taehyun to finish his sentence. Taehyun felt like he was going to malfunction. 

Soobin took pity on his friend and turned to beomgyu to distract him. “Dont listen to taehyun, he’s just mad he didnt get to lick the spoon afterwords.” 

“That’s not the only thing i wanted to lick,” he muttered next to soobin grumpily. 

“What did he say?” beomgyu asked, leaning closer to their table. 

“Nothing!” soobin squeaked, stomping his shoe onto taehyun’s foot underneath the table. 

“Well whatever. Now if you dont mind, i gotta taste test these to make sure you wont poison the rest of the student body,” beomgyu snickered, reaching forward with greedy fingers and snagging a finished cupcake off the platter before soobin could stop him. 

He inhaled half the cupcake before either one of them could say or do anything. Soobin rolled his eyes as taehyun watched beomgyu lick the blue frosting off his fingers and lips. 

“Well?” soobin asked expectantly. He knows they are good, he and hyuka made sure of it last night. But a third opinion couldnt hurt, especially since beomgyu is a pickier eater than the rest of them. 

“They arent bad…” beomgyu trailed off. “But something seems off.”

“Huh?” soobin asked. “What the hell do you mean something is off? Maybe its just you.”

“I dont know...i cant quite put my finger on it,” beomgyu said, his brows furrowing in thought. 

This snapped taehyun into action. Taehyun picked up a cupcake and bit some of it, his face contorting in confusion. “He’s right. Something seems weird.”

“See! I knew it wasnt just me!” beomgyu exclaimed. Then he reached forward and swiped at taehyun’s cupcake, picking up some of the frosting again and tasting it. He licked the frosting off his finger right in front of taehyun. 

“Jesus,” taehyun muttered, willing his heart not to beat out of his chest. 

“Its something with the frosting,” beomgyu continued on. “It tastes...salty? Are you sure you used sugar in it?”

Soobin tried some of taehyun’s cupcake too. He scrunched up his face. “You’re right. Its definitely salty, and it was _definitely_ not like this last night. I dont get it, what changed?” he looked at his finished platter of frosted cupcakes with sprinkles, and then at the unfinished platter of frosted cupcakes, a strange suspicion creeping over him. 

Before he could put two-and-two together, a familiar figure walked up to his table. He had a cocky smirk on his lips that soobin just wanted to smack off of his face. 

“Aw soobinnie. These cupcakes look so good!” yeonjun leaned in. “hey guys,” he greeted the other two. Beomgyu stepped closer to taehyun, getting out of the crossfire while he had the chance. 

“Hey yeonjun,” taehyun greeted coolly. He watched with an amused expression as yeonjun leaned over the table and admired the cupcakes. Taehyun pretty much already figured out yeonjun had something to do with soobin’s little predicament. By the look on soobin’s face, taehyun guesses he figured it out as well. 

“Hmmm, i love the shade of blue you picked. It really matches well with my hair. Were you thinking of me when you picked out the colors?” he winked at soobin, making soobin blink in confusion. Yeonjun tried not to laugh as understanding dawned on soobin’s face. “If you liked my hair so much, you should have told me.”

“I didnt- thats not why- blue is my favorite color,” soobin finished lamely, his face threatening to heat up. He willed it not to, not that he succeeded. 

With playful teasing eyes, yeonjun leaned closer over the table so that he was in soobin’s face. They were so close their noses almost touched. “Duly noted,” he whispered, his breath hitting soobin’s lips. Soobin resisted the urge to lean even closer. 

Then yeonjun reached a hand out, swiping across soobin’s bottom pouty lip with his thumb. There was some remnants of blue frosting on his lip, and yeonjun licked it off his thumb while staring directly in soobin's eyes. Soobin’s lips were parted slightly, his eyes watching yeonjun’s every move. 

Yeonjun leaned away, humming in thought. “The frosting isnt bad, but it could be better,” he snickered. Soobin licked his lips, his bottom lip still tingling where yeonjun touched it. 

“I dont know about you guys, but i prefer cupcakes without sprinkles.” and then yeonjun swiped one of the cupcakes from the unfinished platter, taking a bite and handing some money to taehyun. “Bye,” he said, winking at soobin as he left. 

Soobin snapped out of his daze, gritting his teeth as he looked from one sprinkled cupcake to another. He picked up the little container, looking at the sugar crystals closely. Only...soobin can guess it was probably not sugar he was sprinkling on his beautiful cupcakes, but salt instead. 

“That son of a-” he growled out in irritation. He tossed the container into the trash next to him, glaring at yeonjun’s retreating figure.

“Man, the sexual tension between the two of them is suffocating,” beomgyu whispered to taehyun. “I think i need to take a cold shower after that.”

“I can help you with that,” taehyun blurted out. 

“What?” beomgyu blinked at him. 

“What?” taehyun replied. 

**

Yeonjun sighed after another long day of doing a shit ton of stuff for a bunch of people he cant stand. He needs to finish up his homework, plan out the routines for the next day, and submit a small paragraph saying why he plans on running for student council. Its more for the current student council to get to know him better before the real campaigning starts. Right now they are all in the preliminaries, so there is no guarantee on what could happen in the remaining months. 

He threw his bag to the ground in his current club room office, and then waddled over to his comfortable desk chair. His feet were killing him after the day he’s had. He plopped down on the chair, and suddenly he thinks he went deaf.

As soon as he sat down in the chair, a loud sound echoed around the room, scaring the shit out of yeonjun. He tilted off his chair and landed on the floor in a heap, his heart pounding at an incredible rate. He could have had a heart attack. 

“What the fuck?” he questioned out loud. He was still on the ground like a sack of potatoes, and once his pulse seemed to calm down, he crawled over to his chair warily. There, taped to the underside of his swivel chair, was a fucking air horn. 

Yes, you heard him right. A fucking air horn. Once somebody sits down on the chair, it would press the horn and make it go off. Like it just did to yeonjun. 

Grumbling, yeonjun ripped the horn off the tape and tossed it across the room, letting hit the wall with a whack. Then he tore the tape off his chair. But this was no ordinary tape. Oh no. this was very cute tape you could buy at the craft store. It was decorated in little cupcakes with a pretty pastel background. 

If yeonjun didnt know who taped the air horn to his chair before, he most certainly knows who it is now. 

**

Soobin looked everywhere all over his dorm, flipping up cushions, tossing clothes out of his closet, opening up cabinets and cupboards. 

Taehyun, beomgyu and hueningkai stood in his open doorway, watching with curiosity and amusement. It was rare to see soobin so flustered and frustrated. 

“Are you sure you guys didnt lose it?!” he looked to them, his long black hair all mussed up from looking under his couch. He was on all fours, crawling around his small dorm area. His television was softly playing in the background. 

“Nope,” taehyun said, sucking on a lollipop and watching with amusement. 

“Dont look at me,” hueningkai said. 

“Then where the hell is it!” soobin growled out in frustration, sitting on his messy living room floor, glaring at the TV. 

He was just spending a normal saturday afternoon, watching his favorite television show (the food network), when suddenly his television changed channels. He went to reach for his remote, but then realized it was no where to be found. 

Now, you might think it was weird for soobin to sit down and watch tv without his remote for a good 30 minutes. But his television was always set on his favorite channel (from the last time he watched it), so he didnt need the remote to change the settings. Plus his hands were full of his favorite snacks, so he just clicked on the TV manually as he walked by and then settled comfortably on his couch. 

Everything was going great until the channel changed. 

“What the hell?” he muttered. He couldnt find the remote, thinking one of the others just forgot to put it back where it belongs, so he got up (reluctantly) and changed the channel manually.

He settled back in his spot when it happened again! With a huff, soobin went back and changed it again. Then not five minutes later, the channels changed and the volume went down so he couldnt hear anything. 

“What the fuck!” he hissed. He put his snacks down and started looking for his remote. 

Which leads us to ten minutes later, with the three others watching soobin tear his dorm apart looking for the remote to his television. They were all equally confused at soobin’s predicament. 

Just then, soobin heard an obnoxious laugh from down the hall. He stilled, his hands and knees still on the floor while his door was wide open. A familiar head of blue hair popped into the doorway, followed by a smug smirk. 

“Having trouble soobinnie?” yeonjun taunted. “I was just strolling by when i noticed the commotion.” yeonjun refused to coo at how cute soobin looked, with his large baggy pink sweatshirt and loose grey pajama pants. He was wearing his glasses (a rare sight nowadays) and his fluffy black hair was all mussed up. Soobin looked up at yeonjun from the ground, a natural pout on his pink lips. 

Soobin squinted his eyes at yeonjun. “Its none of your business,” he said rudely. 

“Soobin cant find his TV remote, and we all have come to the conclusion that his TV is possessed since it keeps changing channels randomly on him,” beomgyu supplied helpfully to the older boy. 

Yeonjun raised his brows in mock surprise. Taehyun and hueningkai studied him closely, immediately catching on. “Aww my poor soobinnie. That must have sucked. Need any help?” he offered with a fake smile. 

“I would rather eat nothing but salad and avocados for a month than ask for your help,” soobin hissed at yeonjun like a cat. 

Yeonjun tapped a finger to his chin in mock thought. “Hmmm, thats a shame. And here i was gonna tell you i think i found a remote controller that didnt belong to me. I guess you dont want it,” he shrugged. Then he pulled the remote out of his pocket and switched the TV channel again, a shit-eating grin on his face. 

Soobin was up in a flash. “You bastard! Did you steal my fucking remote?! Who the hell _does_ that?” he yelled as he chased yeonjun out of his dorm, running past the other three and down the hall. 

Yeonjun cackled evilly, his obnoxious nasally laugh echoing all over their dormitory floor. He made it to his door further down the hall and hastily brought out his key, trying to get it unlocked. But he wasnt quick enough. 

As soon as he started to open his door, it was immediately slammed shut. Yeonjun squeaked, turning around so that his back was against his door and his body was caged in by soobin’s arms. He was panting from the run, but also the excitement thrumming through his veins at soobin’s proximity. 

“Give me back my remote right now,” soobin mumbled. 

“Nah i dont think so,” yeonjun said in a petty voice. 

Soobin leaned in closer so that his body was pressing against yeonjun’s. Yeonjun forced himself not to sigh in content at the contact, instead focusing on soobin’s pouty lips. Soobin glared at him. 

“If you dont give it back yeonjun i swear to god im gonna-” soobin began to threaten.

Yeonjun smiled teasingly. He tilted his chin up and leaned closer to soobin’s face so that his nose brushed the other boy’s. “What are you going to do?” he whispered, his eyes meeting soobin’s. 

Soobin gulped at the look yeonjun was giving him, but he would be damned if he gave in to his game. With an intense look of his own, he trailed his fingertips slowly down yeonjun’s bare arm (yeonjun was wearing a tshirt) letting his touch linger on his skin. He tilted his head so that he could align his lips with yeonjun’s, making it look like he intended to kiss him. Yeonjun’s breathing was out of control now, his pulse hammering in his eardrums and his heart skipping beats. 

He wants soobin to kiss him. He wants it so, so bad. He was about to let his eyes shut and close the small distance between them.

But then soobin smirked, letting out a soft breath that oddly resembled a snort against yeonjun’s lips. His fingers stopped trailing yeonjun’s arm when it came in contact with the remote controller in his hand. Soobin snatched it while yeonjun was distracted, and then immediately stepped away. 

Yeonjun wanted to whine at the loss of contact, his stomach a swirl of emotions right now. Soobin grinned triumphantly, tossing the remote up in the air and then catching it. “Dont take my remote again, you little punk,” he said.

The other three watched all of this happen, never leaving their spots in the hall in front of soobin’s doorway. 

“How did yeonjun get his remote in the first place?” beomgyu asked, looking to the other two. “Did you help him get into soobin’s place?” he directed the question to taehyun. 

Taehyun had his sucker in his mouth, removing it to answer him with a shake of his head. “Nope, it wasnt me. I havent helped either one of them since the whole ‘make soobin late for the meeting’ incident two weeks ago.” 

Then he pointed his sucker across beomgyu at hueningkai. “You are pretty good at breaking and entering. Did you help yeonjun?” taehyun asked. He ignored the way beomgyu leaned over, taking his outstretched lollipop into his own mouth. what? strawberry was his favorite flavor. Taehyun let go of his lollipop reluctantly, forcing himself not to blush at the fact that beomgyu just took his half eaten candy, like it was nothing for them to share food. 

Hueningkai shook his head. “No it wasnt me. I havent helped anybody in this election besides baking cupcakes for soobin. Whatever is going on between the two of them is completely by their own doing.”

“Well this is interesting,” beomgyu mumbled around taehyun’s sucker, popping it out of his mouth and holding it out back to him. Taehyun glanced at beomgyu before subtly putting the sucker back into his mouth. At least, he thinks it was subtle.

“I would have to agree,” hyuka nodded, watching soobin successfully take back his remote and start to head back to his dorm.

**

Another week of these harmless pranks between yeonjun and soobin went by, much to beomgyu, taehyun, and hueningkai’s dismay. To be honest, it was getting real old, and it was obvious the two didnt even care about the election as much. Their pranks werent even related to the election, they just did them to annoy the hell out of each other. 

It was no secret that it was just an excuse to see each other more often since their schedules conflict so much.

Everything was going as usual, until beomgyu and hueningkai got wind of a little bit of gossip that involved the election. 

“Bad news!” beomgyu shouted, running up to them and getting in the middle of soobin and yeonjun’s usual (and daily) stare down. Hueningkai was not far behind him. 

“How dare you fraternize with the enemy!” yeonjun pouted at beomgyu, glaring at hueningkai. “He’s obviously soobin’s little weasel of a spy. Dont hang out with him anymore.” 

Beomgyu rolled his eyes at yeonjun’s ridiculousness.

“For your information, i have loyalty to no one and would easily betray soobin for a pint of ice cream,” hueningkai interrupted. 

“Yah!” soobin yelled at him. “Forget the bubble tea later then!” 

“Did i say betray? I meant im totally on your side,” hueningkai said sweetly, batting his eyelashes cutely and blowing an air kiss towards soobin. Soobin just looked at him blankly, then pretended to catch his air kiss and throw it on the ground, stomping on it with his shoe. Hyuka gasped at that. 

“Right, back to me,” beomgyu said, ignoring their stupidity. “Hyuka and i found out that our student council presidents taehyung and jungkook-hyungs are changing the rules for the election. They secretly have a bias for anyone that are _couples_ and running for the president and vice president positions. They were babbling to yoongi and jimin-hyungs during our vocal training about how they think its _so romantic_ that their legacy will live on since they were the first couple _ever_ to win the election by a landslide and run the school side by side like kings. (those were taehyung’s words. He’s rather dramatic like that).”

“In other words, if you have taehyung and jungkook’s support for the election, the possibility of you winning is guaranteed,” hueningkai finished. “It’s pointless to even try and appeal to the student body. The majority will support whoever taehyun and jungkook hyung favor.”

“What?!” yeonjun yelled, gaining a few funny looks from the people around them at his uncharacteristic behavior in public.

Soobin snorted. “So? As far as i know, its only me and yeonjun running for president and vice president. Who cares about the ‘couples bias’?”

“That’s where it gets worse,” hyuka told them, a serious look on his face. He scooted closer to soobin, cupping his cheeks and turning his head in the direction of the courtyard. “See those two people over there? The one with dark hair and the other with blonde? Thats jung wooyoung and choi san. They are the hottest couple in your grade. In fact, if it wasnt for jungkook and taehyung, they would be the hottest couple on campus! Rumor has it that they are going to run for president and vice president against you guys.”

“They are _what now_?” yeonjun hissed, glaring at them with such ferocity that he could start fires. 

Soobin’s face paled. Dealing with yeonjun was one thing, but this was a totally different disaster. If what beomgyu and hyuka were saying was true (and knowing taehyung and jungkook it probably was because they are insane), then his chances just plummeted of getting that president’s spot fair and square. 

“What are we gonna do?” soobin whispered. Hueningkai just shrugged his shoulders. 

“Ill tell you what we are gonna do. We are going to go over there and trash their stupid little table, maybe throw their lunch in their face and rip their books-” yeonjun rambled as he started stomping over to them, totally forgetting about his ‘perfect image’ he was supposed to have in public. 

Soobin sighed, gripping the collar of his shirt and dragging him back. “Not so fast dumbass. You cant just go over there and start bullying other people just because you feel like it.” 

“Why not?” yeonjun pouted, giving soobin puppy dog eyes in the hopes he will let him go. It didnt work.

“Shit you guys! They are coming over here! Act natural!” beomgyu hissed, watching as wooyoung and san linked arms disgustingly cute-like and glided over to them with bright smiles on their faces. 

beomgyu and hueningkai posed in a totally not natural way.

Yeonjun immediately stood up straighter, pasted on one of his charming smiles, and acted like he was a perfect angel. Gone was the temper, gone was the evil actions and rude comments. Soobin just rolled his eyes at his idiocy and how easily everyone fell for his façade. 

“Hi you guys! How are you? Dont forget dance practice is later today!” yeonjun said, chuckling a little with a warm smile and patting san’s arm in a comforting gesture. soobin wanted to barf at how cute he was being. 

“Hi yeonjunnie!” wooyoung said, waving and giggling. “We have such great news to share with you!”

“Since we admire you so much, and heard you talking about it at dance practice the other day with beomgyu (he was actually plotting another scheme to take down soobin, but only beomgyu knew this), we decided to run for student council president and vice president as well! May the best person win!” san said, holding out a hand for yeonjun to take. 

Soobin watched in amusement as yeonjun schooled his features, reaching out a hand and reluctantly shaking san’s. He could tell yeonjun was about to snap, and he waited patiently to see what would happen. Perhaps today was the day that the world got to witness the _real_ yeonjun. 

Yeonjun removed his hand from the ‘friendly’ handshake, soobin taking note that he discreetly clenched his fist at his side in irritation. Soobin just knows this is like pure torture for yeonjun. Then yeonjun laughed cutely and congratulated the two on their campaign.

_Ah, what a shame._ yeonjun managed to keep his image once again. perhaps another day then. For now, only soobin got to experience the true yeonjun. 

Soobin tuned back into what they were saying, dragging his eyes away from yeonjun’s face. 

“Now, we thought it would be nice to tell you guys what we heard,” wooyoung said in a soft voice so no one else would hear. Yeonjun leaned closer, listening intently. Anything to win and take down these losers. Soobin wanted to scoff at how shameless yeonjun was being. 

“We heard that taehyung and jungkook sunbaes are going to secretly support any campaigners that are a couple,” san said. Yeonjun wanted to roll his eyes. He already knows this thanks to beomgyu and hyuka. 

“Just to give you a heads up!” wooyoung said cheerfully. “I know it might be difficult to win the election, since you’re single and all, but im sure people will vote for you anyways because you are so popular and caring-” wooyoung continued. soobin snorted at their description of yeonjun.

Yeonjun gritted his teeth at the unintentional stab to his pride. In his eyes, this disgustingly sweet couple was mocking him. So what if he didnt have a boyfriend? What does it matter? Being at the top was the most important to him currently if he wanted to stay at this university. 

He tuned out wooyoung’s words of encouragement, his short temper taking hold of his mind. All rational thought went out the window. As of this moment, soobin was no longer his number one enemy. The enemies were wooyoung and san, the most loving and caring couple on campus, and the new banes of his existence. He must take them down.

And there was only one way to do it. 

“Actually,” yeonjun cut wooyoung off. The guy just didnt know when to shut up. He was super nice, and sweet, and compassionate towards everyone, which just annoyed the hell out of yeonjun even more. “I do have a boyfriend. We didnt want rumors spreading, so me and soobin have been keeping it a secret.” 

Everyone went quiet. Yeonjun smirked at the dumbfounded looks on san and wooyoung’s faces. 

“Im sorry, we _what now_?” soobin muttered. He frantically looked around at everyone, surely waiting for the joke. 

“Isnt that right, soobinnie? I think its time we let people know about us,” yeonjun said, turning to glare at soobin and dare him to deny it. He reached forward and wrapped an arm around soobin’s waist, pulling him closer into his side and smiling angelically at the other couple. If he gripped soobin’s waist a little tighter than necessary in warning, no one would have noticed, and soobin didnt say. 

“Yes…” soobin confirmed, trying to lean away slightly from yeonjun. However, the older boy plastered himself to soobin’s side. 

“Well that’s just wonderful! Why didnt you say so sooner, silly?” wooyoung said, hitting yeonjun’s arm playfully. If looks could slice a man, wooyoung’s arm would have surely been chopped off. Soobin almost laughed at the look of disgust on yeonjun’s face where wooyoung touched him. 

“Yeah man! Congratulations! I always knew since first year that you might have had a thing for soobin. Im glad my hunch was right,” san laughed.

wait what? 

“Well, me and sannie here have a date later, so we should be going. It was totally nice seeing you guys! And remember, no hard feelings over the election. May the best couple win!” wooyoung said, winking at them and turning to leave. 

Yeonjun laughed prettily, waving goodbye to them. Once they were gone, he dropped soobin’s waist like he was on fire, and soobin stepped away quickly like yeonjun was the plague. 

“What. The. _Hell_?!!!!” soobin exclaimed, glaring at yeonjun. 

“Taehyun, i need you to come get me out of here. Im scared. Mom and dad are fighting,” beomgyu whispered into his cell phone, huddled close to hueningkai. 

“Choi Yeonjun, out of all the dumbass things you have done, and trust me there is a lot, this is by far the most asinine thing ever!” soobin yelled. 

“Now quit your bitching and hear me out,” yeonjun argued back. 

“Hell to the _no._ i want you to go over there and tell them it was all a lie just because you are petty and dont like losing,” soobin said, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring down at yeonjun.

“You and i both know that the whole campus already knows by now. Wooyoung has a big ass mouth that never quits,” yeonjun told him, scowling in wooyoung’s direction. 

“I dont care! Just say it was a dare or something!” 

“You heard what they said! Only _couples_ have a better chance of winning the election! Tell me it doesnt bother you that they come walking over here with heart eyes and spouting off their ‘we are soulmates’ shit, and then just swoop in and take away our well deserved spots at the top of this shithole campus. Go on, tell me to my face.” yeonjun stood there, waiting. 

Soobin was quiet, unable to argue with that. Yeonjun was right. They would never win if jungkook and taehyung favored san and wooyoung for the election. 

“That’s what i thought,” yeonjun smirked, irritating the hell out of soobin. He placed his hands on his hips like a diva. “So here’s what we are gonna do. We are going to prance around this campus as boyfriends, rubbing it into all of these loser’s faces, and we show these dumbasses that we’re the best fucking couple around.” 

Soobin gave him a look of disgust. “Oh god. I think im gonna be nauseous.”

Yeonjun frowned at that. “Hey! You should consider yourself honored to be dating _The Choi Yeonjun!”_

“Why do we always say his name like that?” hyuka whispered to beomgyu.

Beomgyu shrugged. “Its more dramatic that way.” 

“I must have destroyed a country in my past life to be cursed dating you, even if its only pretend,” soobin complained. Yeonjun gasped in offense. 

Soobin rubbed his face in exhaustion. He cant believe he’s actually considering going through with this. When will he wake up from this nightmare? 

“Fine. I’ll be your boyfriend, but only until the end of the election,” he began. Then he took a step towards yeonjun, leaning in extremely close to his face so that they were touching noses again. It seems to be their thing. Then he smirked, making yeonjun narrow his eyes in suspicion. Still, yeonjun didnt back down even though they were close enough to practically kiss. 

“Ill be your boyfriend. But once we take down wooyoung and san, im going to destroy you next,” soobin promised, his breath hitting yeonjun’s lips. 

“Fine by me,” yeonjun hissed out, his temper flaring again. There was just something about soobin that gets yeonjun all riled up. He leaned even closer, their lips just missing each other as he spoke. 

“Just know this, Choi Soobin. I’m definitely going to win this game.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is getting really fun to write. expect the next chapter soon!
> 
> which team are you guys on?   
> Team Yeonjun?  
> or Team Soobin?  
> lmaoooooo


	4. Chapter Four

“Okay, so why did you ask me to meet you in your club room?” soobin asked yeonjun, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

Yeonjun was sitting at his desk, writing something on a piece of paper with full concentration.“Its simple. Now that the whole campus thinks we are dating, we have to get our stories straight. Come on soobinnie, havent you watched any kdramas?”

Soobin rolled his eyes, standing up straight and walking into the room. He closed the door and then loomed over yeonjun’s desk. “Ok fine. How should we go about this?” he asked seriously. 

Yeonjun stopped writing, looking up at soobin. “Easy. you’re mine now so i can do whatever i want,” he said shamelessly. Soobin’s stomach fluttered slightly at that, but he tried to convince himself it was because of the nausea of being yeonjun’s boyfriend. 

‘Tried’ being the key word here.

Then soobin scoffed. “Obviously everyone is going to _think_ im yours, so we need to set some ground rules. How about the story of us getting together? That’s a good start.”

Yeonjun frowned in thought. “We should keep it vague. Just tell anyone who asks that i liked you a lot and demanded you date me. They wouldnt question a thing since,” he snickered, “im _Choi Yeonjun._ ” then he wiggled his eyebrows up at soobin.

Soobin gave him a bored stare. “Oh yes. How could anyone say no to _The Choi Yeonjun._ One look from you and i fell hopelessly in love,” his voice dripped with sarcasm. “Might as well add in there that i chased you around like a lost puppy until you finally noticed me.” 

Yeonjun snapped his fingers. “I like the sound of that.”

“I was kidding!” 

Yeonjun waved his worry away, looking down and then continuing to write on his piece of paper in front of him. “It will be fine, soobinnie. Nobody will question it that much if i just tell them to be quiet.”

Soobin sighed. “Fine, next thing. What about public displays of affection? We need to _look_ like a couple and _act_ like a couple in order to convince our sunbaes.” 

Yeonjun snorted. “Another easy solution. I can kiss you and hug you whenever i want, since like i said before, you’re mine. Now, i know what you are thinking. ‘How will you ever survive with choi yeonjun giving you all of this affection and attention?’ but i assure you it is simply for the act of being boyfriends. You will be safe from really falling in love with me if you remember this.”

With yeonjun’s cocky remark, soobin started to get annoyed. He leaned on yeonjun’s desk in front of him, planting his hands on the wood and getting in yeonjun’s face so that yeonjun was forced to look up from his paper. 

“You seem pretty confident that I’m the one who will fall for you. However, think again yeonjun. It could be you that falls for me. If you claim that I’m yours, then it goes both ways. You are also mine. So yeah, you might get to hug and kiss me in front of others, but i get to do it right back at you,” he told yeonjun with a confident smirk. Yeonjun’s pulse started racing with the way soobin was looking at him while saying this. It almost seemed as though soobin was just as possessive as yeonjun.

However, yeonjun was quick to cover it up. “Fine, whatever. Works for me.” then he went back to his paper, finishing up writing and folding the paper in half so that he could tuck it away into his pocket. 

Soobin was slightly frustrated at the lack of attention, so he snatched the paper yeonjun was so diligently working on. “What is this anyways?” he wondered out loud. 

“Hey give me that back!” yeonjun shouted, standing up and trying to get his paper back. Soobin was quicker (and taller) and was able to step away and hold it up out of yeonjun’s reach. 

Soobin unfolded the paper and then looked at yeonjun with disbelief. “Is this a fucking _hit list_ or something?!” he stared at the names on it. 

Yeonjun stood there, pouting and putting his hands on his hips. “What? Dont look at me like that. Sometimes i forget a person’s name,” he said defensively. “I needed to write it down.”

Soobin read it out loud. “‘Number one: Jung Wooyoung. Number two: Choi San. Number Three: Choi Soobin.” he glared at yeonjun. “Did you seriously bump me down to number three from number one?” he pointed to the scribbled out names and pen marks all over the paper. Clearly yeonjun was changing the order. 

“Yes?” yeonjun admitted without remorse. 

“Aw, how sweet. You _do_ care, my wittle yeonjunnie,” soobin said in a sarcastic cute voice with a dimpled smile. Yeonjun smiled proudly back at him. But then soobin stopped smiling and crinkled the paper and tore it to pieces, letting them flutter to the ground. 

Yeonjun’s smile dropped and he gasped. “Hey! I worked really hard on that!” 

“I dont care!” soobin laughed, stepping over his mess and heading out the door. “Also, why in the hell is taehyun number four on your hit list?!” 

“He betrayed me by being friends with you!” yeonjun yelled cutely after him as soobin left the room. 

**

Yeonjun stomped to soobin’s dorm, banging on the door. Beomgyu was the one to answer. 

“I know all of you little shits are here, so gather around!” yeonjun yelled in the smaller dorm. Hueningkai was on the couch, and taehyun just came from the bathroom, an audible flush being heard. 

“I dont know why you all insist on hanging around here in this unholy place, but since you are all congregated here, i have something important to say,” yeonjun huffed. 

“Please, you can take them any time. You will be doing me a favor,” soobin sighed, coming from the kitchen with snacks. 

“His place always has food,” hyuka called over lazily. 

“I love soobin more than you,” taehyun snickered evilly at yeonjun. He knew yeonjun would be irked by that. He was competitive in everything involving soobin. 

But yeonjun wasnt falling for it. He knows taehyun better than anyone else. “Dont even try me. You only come here because beomgyu is here,” he sneered. 

Taehyun coughed as beomgyu looked up. “Why would that make a difference?” he asked them stupidly.

“I wonder~” hyuka sang, grunting when taehyun plopped down on top of him to shut him up. 

“Anyways, what do you want yeonjun?” soobin asked.

“Right,” yeonjun glared at beomgyu, hyuka, and taehyun. “You three are going to sign up for student council as well.”

“Im sorry, we what now?” taehyun asked. “Why would we want to run for student council against you?” 

“Yeah, what the hell yeonjun?” soobin called over. 

“Listen to me! You wont be running for president and vice president, you will be signing up for the other spots. Wooyoung and san have their own friends joining for secretary and treasurer. In order to beat them, me and soobin need people. So, you guys are our people,” yeonjun declared. 

Soobin was about to object, but then he closed his mouth giving it another thought. He had a point. 

“Why in the hell would i want to be on the council? That’s too much effort. Just go find someone else. Im sure tons of people would love to work under you,” hyuka complained. 

“Think about it! A great king always has trustworthy advisors backing him up. People he knows wont betray him when he’s not looking. I dont give a rat’s ass about everyone else on campus, they would stab me in the back in a heart beat. Plus i would have to pretend to actually _like_ them,” yeonjun shivered at that. “You guys are the only ones i can be rotten to and i know you wont sell me out,” yeonjun declared triumphantly. 

Taehyun and the others blinked up at yeonjun. It was almost endearing in a way. Yeonjun just indirectly admitted that he trusts the four of them completely, and that’s gotta count for something, right?

“Fine, i’ll join if taehyun joins,” beomgyu told him. 

“I’ll do it. What positions were you thinking for us?” taehyun sighed, secretly liking the fact that beomgyu was sticking with him. 

“I want taehyun to be the treasurer, beomgyu the historian, and hueningkai the secretary,” yeonjun said while smiling at them. 

“Aw, why do i have to be the secretary! That’s too much work,” hyuka whined. 

“Because you cant take pictures worth shit,” yeonjun said to him. Soobin snorted at this. It was true. 

“And what if we dont win the election, but beomgyu and the others do? What then?” soobin asked yeonjun. 

“Then im not doing it. Ill just withdraw,” taehyun told him matter-of-factly. 

“If taehyun goes, i go,” beomgyu nodded in agreement. 

“Well, definitely count me out,” hyuka scoffed, shoveling popcorn in his mouth. “I dont even want to work for the two of you let alone somebody else.”

Yeonjun clapped his hands, jumping up and down excitedly. “Yay! If we all win, this is going to be so much fun! I can rule over this school with an iron fist, with my servants- i mean friends- by my side!” 

Soobin rolled his eyes and headed to the couch. “You mean when I win…”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. Now scoot over. What are we watching?” yeonjun said, grabbing soobin’s bowl of popcorn and sitting on his lap. Soobin grunted, but didnt complain. The couch was only so big, so beomgyu and taehyun were forced to sit on the ground. Not that taehyun minded. 

“Something scary apparently. Hyuka i swear to god if you dolphin scream again and get us in trouble…” soobin warned him. He ignored the way his heart did little flips when yeonjun leaned back into him, getting himself comfortable, forcing soobin to wrap an arm around his waist so he wouldnt fall off. 

Hyuka sighed. “That was one time…” 

**

Another week went by, and pretty soon election campaigning was going to start. Yeonjun yawned as he stood outside with all of the other candidates, waiting for their presidents to arrive. They told everyone that they all had to participate in a ‘team building’ activity day, whatever the hell that means. 

“Soobin, carry me on your back so that i can go to sleep,” yeonjun demanded. 

“No, carry yourself,” soobin mouthed off back to him. It was too early in the morning for this crap. Why did they all have to come here at 8am on a saturday?! 

They forgot that they had an audience, not that many people were paying any attention to them. 

Yeonjun yawned again, scowling over at san and wooyoung. “Look at them being all chipper and cute in the morning. Its sickening,” he muttered, causing soobin to look over at them too. 

“Ew you’re right,” soobin nodded. They were currently sharing a thermos of coffee as san rubbed wooyoung’s arms to chase away the chill. It was a little bit cold this early in the morning, the sun not being able to warm everything up yet. 

“Well, challenge accepted,” yeonjun said. He then grabbed soobin’s arm, clinging to it and rubbing his cheek on him cutely. A few people noticed and cooed at the adorableness, san and wooyoung included. 

Soobin just blinked tiredly. He didnt necessarily mind yeonjun’s clinginess. Being the youngest child of four, you would assume he got spoiled with love and cuddles, right? Well in reality, his siblings were way older than him, and they were out of the house before he was old enough to really spend time with them. All in all, he was kind of neglected. His home life was probably why he grew up to be alone, shy, and careful all of the time. 

“Me too!” hyuka shrieked, grabbing onto soobin’s other arm and also cuddling into him. “Its chilly out here,” he said with a laugh. Soobin looked down at the two of them. He could hardly believe one was the oldest and the other was the youngest. A smile formed on his lips at their idiocy. 

Beomgyu and taehyun were there too, but instead of standing, they opted to sit on the curb of the sidewalk while they waited. Beomgyu yawned, resting his head on taehyun’s shoulder and dozing off while soobin dealt with the other two. Of course taehyun wasnt going to complain. 

“Hey soobin!” daehwi called over, skipping up to the taller boy. Yeonjun stopped cuddling into soobin obnoxiously, standing strangely still and watching daehwi like a hawk. 

“Oh daehwi! How are you?” soobin asked, smiling at the shorter boy. From time to time over the years, daehwi would come over and talk to him. Soobin would even consider them friends, just not super close like he was with beomgyu, hyuka, taehyun, and (dare he say it) yeonjun. (okay, he wasnt necessarily close with yeonjun. But he hates to admit that he feels more comfortable around yeonjun than he does with other people. He thinks its because he and yeonjun have seen the worst sides of each other during their battle for student council president)

“Im good! I saw you were signing up for council president, and i decided to run for secretary. Wouldnt it be great if we both won and got to work together?” he laughed. Yeonjun continued to stare at him with an unnerving glare. 

“Aw, that would be fun!” soobin hummed, showing his dimples innocently. Daehwi squealed, reaching over to poke one of his dimples affectionately. 

“Too bad hyuka is also running for secretary,” yeonjun said nastily, his eyes squinting as daehwi had the _audacity_ to touch soobin’s cheek. Daehwi paused, glancing at yeonjun. 

“Oh! Yeonjun-ssi, i didnt see you there,” daehwi smiled. 

“Im practically glued to soobin. Do you need glasses?” he almost snarled. Clearly daehwi was being just as fake as he usually is. Only, yeonjun does it way better than him. 

“Not at all, i can see perfectly fine,” daehwi shot back at him. It was a clear challenge, one that yeonjun has no problems winning. It would seem soobin has acquired a few admirers over the years since he last talked to him. 

“Well, it was nice seeing you again daehwi. I hope your program is going well,” soobin ended whatever this was. Hyuka let go of soobin’s arm and stepped aside, not wanting to get in the way of yeonjun’s wrath. 

Daehwi stopped glaring at yeonjun and then glanced back at soobin with shining eyes. Yeonjun snorted at his obvious implication. 

“Thanks soobin! I’ll see you around, okay?” 

“Sure…” soobin trailed off, watching daehwi rejoin a group of students a little further away. Once he was gone, soobin looked down at yeonjun curiously. Yeonjun was still clinging to his harm, looking about ready to jump the other boy. “What was that all about? Daehwi was just checking up on me.” 

“I dont want you talking to him anymore,” yeonjun pouted, looking up at soobin with puppy dog eyes. 

Soobin rolled his own eyes. “And why not?”

“Because its obvious he likes you and plans on taking you away from me,” yeonjun told him, straight to the point. 

Soobin blinked at him, disbelief on his face. “Daehwi? Likes me? Yeah right!” he chuckled softly. 

“Its true!” yeonjun whined. “He was practically giving you heart eyes! Right in front of me!”

Soobin thought about it, considering this possibility. He wasnt a total idiot. Perhaps yeonjun had a point. But then he shook his head. “Nah, there’s no way anybody could like me like that. Plus, he knows it would be useless since i already have a boyfriend,” soobin reasoned out. 

Yeonjun was about to argue with him. What does he mean nobody here would like him enough to date him? Just by the glances they were getting, yeonjun could count at least ten people staring at soobin, both girls and boys. He’s going to have to fend off a ton of people during their fake relationship. 

And then, soobin’s last words sunk in. his cheeks almost flushed at the way soobin casually refers to him as his boyfriend. Yeonjun wanted to be a brat and stick his tongue out at daehwi childishly. 

So he did just that. Daehwi was still glancing over occasionally, and once yeonjun caught his attention again, he grinned evilly, hugging soobin tighter and sticking his tongue out. Then he quickly looked away before anybody would notice him being ‘not so princely.’ 

He let out a squeak when he felt a finger flick his forehead. “Ow! What was that for?” he whined to soobin. 

Soobin laughed softly. “I saw that. Quit being mean to daehwi.” 

“He’s trying to take what is mine! He should know better than to mess around with _The Choi Yeonjun!”_ yeonjun defended himself. Soobin just sighed, but didnt argue anymore. 

They were interrupted when the president and vice president of the school finally arrived. 

“I told you we would be late, taehyung,” jungkook complained. 

“But i had to make sure my outfit matched!” taehyung pouted cutely. 

“For god’s sake you could literally wear a trash bag and look good! Your outfits dont even need to match!” jungkook sighed out in exasperation. 

Taehyung giggled. “Is that your way of saying i look pretty?” 

Jungkook ignored him, turning to face the small crowd of candidates. “Hi guys! So as you all know, we asked you to come here for a very special reason.” 

Taehyun straightened up, getting down to business as the student council president. “Right! Just as my kookie said, we asked you all here to spend the day doing team-building exercises.”

“What for?” taehyun called out without shame. 

Jungkook smiled at him. “I was getting to that. All of you have signed up to run for a position on the student council. Instead of doing it the boring old way, with speeches and posters and stuff, me and taehyung have decided to get a little creative. We want to see how well you guys work together as teams. You guys forget that being on the student council means running the school together.”

Taehyung nodded. “We understand that you all are competing against each other. But there will be time for that much later. Right now we want to see how you guys all get along and work together to accomplish the same goals. Its all about character-building and companionship. Five of you are going to be running this school together next year, continuing our legacy, and we dont want to pick people that cant get along. Because the number one reason an organization falls apart is from the corruption within.” 

“So what are you going to have us do?” mark lee asked, getting excited. He was shifting on his feet, rearing to go. That kid was always super energetic. 

Taehyung smiled sweetly. “Me and jungkook thought of the funnest thing ever!” 

Jungkook continued. “We are going to divide you guys into teams of five based on what positions you are running for, and then we are going to shove you into an escape room!” 

“Im sorry, a what now?” yunho asked. 

“An escape room! Each team gets trapped in a room, and they must work together to get out within a certain time limit!” taehyung laughed, clapping his hands. 

“Fine by me, what are the teams?” johnny called out. 

“We will say the teams in a moment, so please gather together once your name is called.”

After a few minutes of getting everyone organized, taehyung and jungkook led them into the building to get them situated in their rooms. 

“What’s in it for us if we win?” yeonjun asked. A few other people nodded, wondering the same thing. Soobin could care less, he wasnt a very competitive person.

“Oh, i forgot to mention. The winners get an all-you-can-eat coupon to one of the BBQ buffets downtown,” taehyung answered him. 

Yeonjun and soobin both gasped at this. Now soobin wasnt a competitive person, but he was willing to do anything for food. He looked over at yeonjun, and they both nodded. 

They have come to a mutual understanding. Take down anyone in their way of food. 

“Okay guys, huddle up,” yeonjun whispered to hyuka, taehyun, and beomgyu. He and soobin were all on the same team as them. It was almost as if the president and vice president _knew_ who to team up. “I dont want anybody to hold back, you hear me? This is a matter of life or death. Preferably your life or death if me and soobin dont get those coupons.”

Yes...Soobin wasn’t very competitive...until now. He stood next to yeonjun, nodding his head in agreement. “We need to take them down,” he told the others. He and yeonjun high-fived each other. 

“Count me in! I love BBQ,” hyuka laughed cutely. 

“As long as its not seafood,” beomgyu nodded. 

“Fine by me. This will be entertaining,” taehyun smirked. 

“Alright everybody, put your hand in the middle. On ‘for food’ we break,” soobin told them. They did as he asked, piling their hands in the middle with a gleam and strong determination in their eyes. “One, two three, FOR FOOD!” 

“Yeahhhhh!!!” yeonjun whooped. They ran into the escape room, the door finally clicking shut and locking them in for the next few hours. 

**

 _“Ok, this escape room isnt anything fancy like a murder mystery or whatever,”_ jungkook told the players through a speaker system. _“Its quite simple. To your left you will notice the door you just came through. Attached to the door is a keypad with numbers on it. The door will unlock if you punch in the correct code. However, you only have three attempts at the code, so choose wisely.”_

Soobin glanced to the door, noting the keypad that jungkook was referring to. 

“What are the rules?’ taehyun asked, glancing up at the cameras that were recording them. 

Taehyung answered this time. “ _There are no rules. The goal is to escape this room in the least amount of time. Whichever team manages to do this wins the prize. But there’s a catch. We wont be giving any of you hints at all, so dont bothering asking.”_

Jungkook took over again. _“The clock is going to start in three, two, one...now! You have five hours to escape! Good luck!”_

“Ok!” hyuka screamed, running around the room. 

Taehyun stood in his spot, taking note of the things around them. Yeonjun walked over to the door, jiggling the handle, and beomgyu went exploring. Soobin watched them all, shaking his head with a chuckle. He too studied the room. 

It was an ordinary looking room, almost like a reading room in a huge mansion. It looked like one of those old fashioned libraries, or a personal study. There were bookcases lining the walls, tables to sit at and read. Everything was wooden and antique. It was so realistic that soobin had to admire it for a second. 

There were candles, and parchments, even feathered pens with ink. There was an old grandfather clock in the corner, and one of those antique radios that you never see anymore. There were also miscellaneous items too, like a pretend bow and arrow, musical instruments such as a guitar and piano, mirrors, tea sets, cupboards and cabinets. The list went on and on. 

“Ok so what first?” soobin asked taehyun. 

Taehyun shook his head. “Im not sure. There’s an infinite amount of number sequences the code could be. We have to find some kind of clue in here to determine what it is.”

“Hey guys! I found a guitar!” beomgyu said excitedly. He picked it up, then propped one leg up on one of the chairs and strummed it. “Hmm, not bad. I dont think it needs much tuning.”

“Wait, is this real food?!” yeonjun squealed, checking out the pastries sitting on the plates near the tea sets. soobin turned at the sound of that. 

“Are you seriously going to try and eat it?”

“Uhm yeah? Do you even know me?” yeonjun looked at him like he had two heads. Then he picked up the pastries and took a deep breath. 

“Wait! What if its fake? And are we even allowed to eat that?” soobin asked him, causing yeonjun to pause with the pastry halfway to his mouth. 

“Dont know, dont care. Only one way to find out!” then he bit down and groaned. “This is definitely real.” 

Soobin shuffled over to him, staring at the pastries. Then he shrugged. “Well, too late to stop now.” and he picked one up and ate. He and yeonjun ignored the others as they devoured the pastries by the tea set. 

Taehyun ran his hands along the books on the book shelf. He loved books, and some of these he’s never read before. He pulled one out, flipping through the pages and scanning its contents, the mission completely forgotten for a second. 

“Hey beomgyu! Write down some of these titles, i think i would want to read these later.”

Beomgyu was strumming on the guitar, not listening. “Call me baby! Yeah, call me baby!” 

Hyuka ran up to taehyun, laughing as he started pulling books off the shelves. “I saw this in movies once, where the characters pull the books off only to reveal a hidden room behind the bookshelf.”

Taehyun looked up at him incredulously. “Hyuka i doubt they would be as obvious as...that…”

Hueningkai grabbed a book near taehyun, pulled, and sure enough something off to their right started to move. “See i told you!” he screamed, running up to the hidden room. 

“Well ill be damned,” taehyun shook his head. “Is there anything there?” 

Hyuka shook his head no. “nope just an empty closet. Hey, do you think we can get to narnia like this?!” 

“Dont be stupid hyuka.” yeonjun scoffed.

“Yeah, narnia doesnt exist-” soobin began to say.

“Narnia was in a wardrobe, not a stupid book shelf-” yeonjun said at the same time. 

Soobin looked at yeonjun with a ‘really?’ look. 

While soobin and yeonjun started arguing over which movie was better (the lion the witch and the wardrobe totally wins according to soobin), beomgyu sat down at one of the desks, playing with the feather pen and ink. He sprawled out a piece of parchment and popped open the ink container. Then he dipped the pen and paused over the parchment. 

“Beomgyu, i doubt you will be able to write anything on that-” taehyun told him, but beomgyu ignored him, clearing his throat. 

“Dear diary…” he began, but then scratched it out. “Oh! I know!” taehyun waited for him to continue. “To all the boys i’ve ever loved before…”

“Alright, thats it. Give me that,” taehyun humphed, scooching over to sit next to beomgyu and grabbing the feather pen out of his hand. Beomgyu was snickering up at taehyun, laughter and joy in his eyes. 

“Wait! Dont waste the parchment!” yeonjun yelled, ending his conversation with soobin. 

“Did you figure something out?” beomgyu asked. 

“No, i could use that parchment and ink to make a wicked cool new hit list since my other one got ruined-” 

Soobin whacked him on the head. “Ow! What was that for?” yeonjun whined.

“Quit being an idiot. Its not normal for people to make hit lists of the other students,” soobin sighed. 

“You guys, you think this radio actually works?” hyuka asked, fiddling with the antique radio. 

“Dont know, let me see,” beomgyu said, getting up to go and check it out. 

“Hmm, maybe they hid numbers or something all over the room,” soobin thought out loud. Taehyun was shuffling through the letters on the desk in front of him, looking for any signs or clues. 

“What's the answer to this riddle?” yeonjun called over, kicking some books out of the way in boredom that hyuka left on the ground. “What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?” 

Soobin laughed at him. “Seriously? How could you not know that one? That’s a children’s riddle!”

Yeonjun pouted in anger with his hands on his hips. “Ok bright guy. What’s the answer then?”

“A stamp!” 

Taehyun stopped shuffling the letters in front of him, staring down at the mail with stamps on them. Then he picked one up and started ripping into it. 

“Are you just opening someone else’s mail up?” soobin asked curiously. 

“Yep, why not?” taehyun shrugged. 

Soobin leaned over his shoulder, watching him. “Oooo theres stuff inside!” they both took out a bunch of paper with words printed on it. It was more riddles. 

“Im tall when im young, and short when im old. What am i?” taehyun read out loud. 

“You were never tall to begin with!” hyuka laughed. Taehyun threw a roll of parchment in his direction, just missing him. 

“A candle!” soobin said excitedly, clapping up and down. 

“There’s candles all over the place!” yeonjun complained, looking around and up. Above them were tons of chandeliers with candles in the candle holders. 

“What has hands, but cannot clap?” taehyun read another one. 

“All of this learning is hurting my brain,” beomgyu said, fiddling with the radio again. He heard a click and then static started coming out of its speakers. “Hey! The radio actually works! Let me see if i can get a station,” he mumbled. 

“No idea,” yeonjun answered taehyun. “That kind of stuff is always boring.”

“A clock!” soobin laughed, smiling widely. Yeonjun stared at him from across the room. 

“You must really like riddles and stuff soobinnie,” he noted thoughtfully. 

“I used to stay at home a lot listening to music and reading. My siblings were older, and I didnt have many friends when i was younger, but i loved books and other word puzzles,” soobin called over to him while gathering up some of the papers with the riddles. Yeonjun frowned at hearing that. 

“Guys i figured it out! This one station is playing some music,” beomgyu said excitedly while turning up the volume on the radio some more.

“It kind of sounds like ‘twinkle twinkle little star’” taehyun called over to him. 

“That’s what i thought!” hyuka yelled. 

Yeonjun yawned. He was getting bored already. “How long have we been in here?” he asked. 

“About an hour,” taehyun immediately responded. 

“Woah, you can tell without using a clock or your phone?” beomgyu asked in shock. 

Taehyun rolled his eyes at his stupidity, but smiled. “No, the grandfather clock over there is actually keeping accurate time. It’s been an hour since i last looked at it.” 

“Hey guys…” soobin looked around, spinning in a circle slowly. “Have you noticed something weird about this room?” 

“That we are in the set of Harry Potter? No not at all,” yeonjun told him sarcastically. Soobin sent a glare his way but continued. 

“We are supposed to find the code for the door, so im assuming there would be numbers or other things we can use to guess it. But i havent seen a single number anywhere in here. Not on the grandfather clock (it was just lines that indicated where the 12, 3, 6, and 9 hours should be located), not on the letters, not on the radio. Nothing in here has a number except for the keypad on the door.” 

“So what does it mean?” hyuka asked him. 

“Im not sure. Thats as far as i got,” soobin laughed. 

“He has a point,” taehyun told him. “Normally there would be things hidden to help us solve it, but we havent found anything really useful.”

“Is that stupid song the only thing that god damn radio station is playing?!” yeonjun snapped, glaring at the radio. He had little patience for children’s songs. 

“Sorry, no matter which station i turn to, this is what is playing,” beomgyu told him sheepishly. He turned down the volume slightly so that they all could think a little better. 

Taehyun glanced around the room again. Everything seemed ordinary. Sure, there were cute riddles and hidden secret closets, but nothing was adding up. The clock was ticking, the children’s song was playing, beomgyu stopped playing the guitar, hyuka moved over to the piano. To taehyun, there was just nothing but _noise_ in the room.

“My head hurts from all these sounds,” soobin pouted. “I usually have sensitive hearing sometimes and i get headaches easily,” he told them. Yeonjun walked over, reaching up to pat the back of his head. Soobin let him while leaning down to sit in one of the chairs. 

“Its almost like you read my mind hyung,” taehyun told him. 

Beomgyu turned off the radio, getting annoyed with the dang thing. Hyuka pressed a piano key carefully, checking the sound of it. “I can play something for you soobinnie,” he smiled cutely. 

“Yeah, play something for us!” yeonjun said happily. His hand moved to soobin’s ears, playing with them and rubbing them. 

Hueningkai started to play the ‘twinkle twinkle little star’ song, grinning evilly at them when they all groaned. 

“I officially hate that song!” yeonjun yelled at him. 

“Ok, ok fine. How about this?” and then he started to play a beautiful melody on the piano. All of them sighed in content as they let hyuka play for them. Soobin closed his eyes, enjoying the sound while letting yeonjun massage his neck and play with his hair, his headache going away a little bit. 

Once hyuka was done, beomgyu clapped. “Next time we should play together. I can bring my guitar and you can play the piano.” 

_“You all have three and a half hours remaining,”_ jungkook said on the speaker. 

“That’s it,” yeonjun snapped. “This game is getting old. Lets end this so we can get out of here and take a nap or something.”

“Works for me,” soobin agreed. 

“We still dont know how to figure out the number code!” hyuka whined. “Could it be something dumb like today’s date, or maybe jungkook hyung’s birthday, or whatever?” 

“They didnt even tell us how many numbers it was. Is it a four number pin? Or one of those ten digit codes?” beomgyu asked. 

“Only one way to find out!” yeonjun said with a humph, running over to the door. 

“Are you going to just type in random numbers?!” soobin yelled, getting up. 

“Yep,” yeonjun said with a smirk, popping the ‘p.’

“But that will use up one of our attempts,” taehyun argued. 

“Dont care. How are we supposed to know what the code is if we dont know how the keypad works?” yeonjun questioned them. “What if they are lying to us and its actually broken or whatever? This could be a trick,” he reasoned. 

Soobin thought about it. He was right, it _could_ be a trick. Just because they were told that they had to find the code doesnt mean they couldnt have been lied to. This could be nothing but a mind game. 

“Ok, fine. Let’s try it your way first. If it really is working, then that means we still have two more tries to open the door,” soobin told him. Yeonjun grinned at him, happy that he had someone on his side. 

Yeonjun punched in the day’s date, hearing the little beeping noises from the number pad. When he was done, the keypad buzzed at him indicating it was the wrong sequence of numbers. 

_“You have two tries left on the keypad,”_ taehyung told them through the speaker.

“Well, there goes that theory,” beomgyu said sadly. “At least we know its working.”

Yeonjun glared at the keypad, as if the sheer force of his stare could open the door for him. He kicked the door with his shoe. “This is stupid.”

Hyuka played the piano, trying to be dramatic. ‘Dun dun dun dunnn’ 

Beomgyu started humming the children’s song. He was always filling the air with noise. Taehyun glared at him to shut him up. “What?! Its stuck in my head now!” he complained. 

“Then sing something else,” taehyun told him heartlessly. 

Suddenly, soobin got an idea. “Taehyun...what if...the code isnt numbers..” 

Taehyun looked over at soobin, catching on. 

“How the hell can it not be numbers?” yeonjun asked dumbly. 

Soobin looked over at him, the idea starting to make more and more sense. 

“You need to spell it out there, hyung,” hyuka told him. 

“What i mean is...the keypad is numbers, but its not a certain code or pin. Its, well, a song. Like, you know, beep beep boop beep,” soobin tried to explain, waving his arms around. 

“Did you seriously say beep beep boop beep in a sentence?” yeonjun laughed. 

“You know what i mean!” soobin whined cutely with a pout. 

“It’s probably that damn song,” beomgyu said, glaring over at the radio. 

“Soobin is onto something here. There are absolutely no numbers at all. They tried to distract us by giving us stupid riddles and other random things to find. But everywhere you look, something is either making noise, or you can play an instrument or make music,” taehyun pointed out. 

“Then lets just match the song to the keypad’s number tones and bam! Get the hell outta here!” yeonjun jumped up and down. 

“But the song is long, and we dont know how many music notes they are including in the number sequence,” hyuka told him. Yeonjun deflated at that. 

“I say fuck it, and try anyways. Take the chorus or something,” taehyun added in. 

“As long as everyone is cool with it, i can try,” beomgyu told them. They all nodded in agreement. He was the most musically attuned out of all of them. 

“Its better than doing nothing,” soobin sighed, running a hand through his hair and messing it up. The ends stuck out all over the place at that, and yeonjun reached over to fix it. 

Beomgyu walked over to the keypad, staring at it for a minute. He needs to know which numbers sound like which music notes so he can match it up. He remembers a little bit of it when yeonjun was playing with the keypad, but not all of them. This second try was going to be completely on a whim. 

He hesitantly pressed a number, the first note of the chorus sounding like the number's beep. Hyuka played it note for note on his piano for him so that he could match it. He pressed a second button, and then a third, getting those notes right as well. 

“This is the most nerve wracking thing i have ever done,” beomgyu hissed. 

“Dont mess up,” taehyun laughed, trying to get him to relax. It seemed to work slightly, because beomgyu glared at him, distracting him from his nerves. 

After the next few notes, beomgyu messed up. “Dammit!” he swore. “Im sorry you guys, i just wasted another try,” he looked over at them sadly. 

“That’s okay gyu, we can just try again. You were almost there!” soobin told him encouragingly. 

“I could care less,” yeonjun shrugged. “You did way better than any of us could.”

“Yeah! And it even made a different beep noise when you got it wrong, which means we were close!” hyuka clapped. 

“Go ahead and try again beomgyu. I already memorized the numbers you pressed, so you dont have to worry about the first part,” taehyun told him confidently. 

“Woah, you memorized that?!” soobin looked over at him surprised. 

“Taehyun can memorize anything in like seconds,” yeonjun bragged. Taehyun looked away shyly at the praise he was getting. 

With renewed vigor, beomgyu shook off the disappointment in himself. “Ok i got this. Lets do this!” he moved slowly, working at the keypad with the help of taehyun giving him the first set of numbers he already successfully completed, and hyuka helping him match the notes with the piano for the second set. 

“I wish there was something more i could do,” soobin pouted, whispering to yeonjun. 

“This is totally out of my capabilities,” yeonjun whispered back. 

“Almost there,” soobin said nervously, gripping onto yeonjun’s arm in worry. This gave him unnecessary anxiety even though it was only a game. 

Beomgyu was almost there. Taehyun moved over to the door next to him, leaning over his shoulder and helping him out. Just a few more notes...and then the keypad buzzed at him. 

“No!” beomgyu yelled, hitting the door and jiggling the handle. 

_“You have used up all of your attempts at the keypad. You only have two hours remaining,”_ jungkook said on the speaker. 

“That’s it?!” yeonjun yelled at the camera. “How the hell are we supposed to escape the room if we can’t use the keypad anymore?!” he lost his temper.

“Ah, oh well,” hyuka shrugged. 

“Isnt the game over now?” taehyun asked, confused. He rubbed beomgyu’s shoulder in comfort. 

“Im not sure,” soobin said, walking over to beomgyu. He bent down near him in a crouch. “Its ok beomgyu, you did your best. We were so close thanks to you!” he said cheerfully in his ear. 

Beomgyu pouted, letting himself be comforted by taehyun and soobin. “I lost us the chance of all you can eat BBQ,” he said sadly. 

“Its just a game anyways,” yeonjun called over. His eyes were scanning the room, getting pissed. “I thought we were done, now what?” 

_“You have two hours to try and escape,”_ taehyung told them. 

“The game’s still going?” hyuka asked, looking at the others. 

“Seems like it,” taehyun answered him. “Maybe we got it wrong?”

Soobin dragged beomgyu up from his crouch. “Let’s search the room again you guys.” taehyun and hyuka nodded, starting to look around. 

After another 15 minutes of finding nothing, and getting no closer to escaping the room, yeonjun finally had enough. There was no way he was going to lose to something dumb like this. He snapped. 

He marched up to the door, glaring at the cameras. He started pressing buttons on the keypad, hoping that he could still get the right code. But it kept beeping at him, telling him it was wrong. 

“Yeonjun, its useless to try that,” soobin told him. 

“I dont care!” yeonjun whined to him childishly. He started kicking the door in a tantrum. “Why the hell do we have to use this stupid dumb ass keypad anyways?! What kind of room only has one way in and one way out? Isnt that like a safety hazard or something?! There’s gotta be some other way we can get out of here. Cant we, like, break a damn wall and force our way out like any normal person!? If i was trapped for real, i wouldnt give two shits about the keypad. Id just jump from the god damn window or maybe break the lock or some shit!” he banged on the door one last time in his outrage. 

He huffed and panted after his little outburst. 

“You got that out of your system?” taehyun asked with a chuckle.

Yeonjun straightened his shirt and fixed his hair. “Yes, i feel a lot better now.” 

“Wait, yeonjun has got a point,” soobin said. “What was it that our hyungs told us in the beginning?” 

“That we have to use the keypad with three tries to unlock the door,” hyuka answered him. 

Beomgyu shook his head. “No, they didnt say we _had_ to. They just said that the door was locked, the keypad could open it, and we had three tries. There were no other rules or hints.” 

Soobin snapped his fingers. “Bingo. We dont _have_ to use the keypad to escape. And since we used up all of our tries, there must be another way out besides using the main door. Yeonjun was right. If this was a real situation, none of us would bother trying to find clues and riddles to open the door. We would try to bust our way out as quickly as possible. Since there arent any windows, that’s out of the question. And this is pretend, so its not like we can break the wall or something. So there has to be another way out they havent told us about.”

Yeonjun slammed his hand on his palm. “Okay! New plan guys! Destroy this fucking room and force our way out! Leave nothing untouched!” 

“Yahhhhh!” hyuka screamed pumping a fist in the air. 

“Do your worst!” soobin laughed, also throwing his fist in the air. Beomgyu and taehyun joined in the war cry. 

**

“How are the teams doing?” taehyung asked his fellow classmate who was watching the cameras in the room. He and jungkook stepped out to get lunch while the teams were locked in trying to escape. 

“Well, sunbae,” the classmate began. “Wooyoung and san’s team is working quite well. They move together really cohesively. They each organized each other into different roles, and have been working in seriousness to finish the mission. They almost succeeded.” 

Taehyung nodded his head in approval while taking a bite of his rice. “That’s good. They must have great teamwork.” 

Just then, jungkook joined him in the room, looking at all of the monitors. “What about soobin and yeonjun’s team?” he asked, snatching a bite of taehyung’s meal. 

The guy sighed nervously. “Well...you see. I think they stopped screaming?” he said it like a question. Taehyung snorted, almost choking on his rice. 

“What do you mean they stopped screaming?” he asked him. 

“Uh...i think its better if you take a look for yourself.”

Jungkook and taehyun leaned in closely to the monitors that were set up in soobin and yeonjun’s room. What they saw made jungkook laugh and taehyung cackle. 

“Oh my god, this is better than cable,” taehyung said as he slapped jungkook’s shoulder. 

They could hear the five younger ones through the speakers. 

_“THIS. IS. SPARTAAA!”_ yeonjun yelled, throwing papers all over the place and jumping on the couch. He kicked his foot to the back of the couch, making it topple over as he rode it. 

Soobin flipped over chair cushions, and beomgyu started throwing things out of the cupboard and cabinets. Taehyun laughed as he knocked books off the shelves, and hyuka ran around screaming randomly with his high-pitched dolphin scream. 

“They used up all of their attempts at the keypad, and now they are destroying the room in retaliation,” the male said to taehyung and jungkook. 

Taehyung continued to watch them a bit more, a smile forming on his lips.

**

The five of them stood in front of the secret closet hyuka found earlier, panting from their exertion. They completely ransacked the room and destroyed everything. Not a single place was untouched. 

“Ok, this looks like its the only way out,” hyuka said. He glared at a vent near the floor of the closet. It was just wide enough to fit a person of their size. They missed it earlier, and honestly didnt think much of it at the time. 

“How are we going to get the the metal grate covering off of it?” taehyun asked. 

Soobin’s eyes followed the small chain that led from the metal covering of the vent all the way up and over the ceiling straight to one of the chandeliers above their heads in the main portion of the room. “Its attached to a chain. If we can somehow get the chain to lift it up, it may slide open.”

“How the hell are we supposed to reach all the way up to the chandelier?” beomgyu said, getting annoyed. They were all tall, but not that tall. 

Yeonjun studied the chandelier with candles, noting that it wasnt really connected to the ceiling that well. It could easily fall down somewhat if they only just yanked on the main chain. He remembered something he saw earlier that day. 

“Okay!” he shouted. “Where’s that bow and arrow thingy we had earlier?” 

“The cute one with the suction cup arrows?” hyuka asked. “I think it was over here.” he walked over and retrieved it under some of the rubble. (obviously it wasnt going to be a real bow and arrow)

Yeonjun took it, smiling gratefully at hyuka. He knocked the bow a few times and tested it out. “They gave us this for a reason. Might as well use it,” he shrugged. 

“Have you ever done archery before?” soobin asked him with disbelief. 

“Nope, but how hard can it be?” yeonjun laughed. 

“Well, he’s got a better chance than the rest of us,” taehyun sighed. He glanced at the grandfather clock. They had one hour remaining. 

“Dont worry guys, i watched the Hunger Games. I know what to do! Yeonjun Everdeen is here to save the day!” yeonjun laughed obnoxiously. Soobin snorted, shaking his head. 

“We’re doomed,” beomgyu groaned. 

Yeonjun shot a cute little arrow at the chain holding the chandelier. He just missed it, the chain slightly moving. He took another arrow and tried again. Almost there. 

Soobin held his hands together, watching intently. “Almost there yeonjunnie. Try again!” he cheered. 

On the last try, yeonjun succeeded in hitting the chain, causing the chandelier to drop slightly, which then led the metal covering on the vent to lift up. 

“This is the dumbest thing we have ever done,” taehyun laughed, excitement in his eyes. He gripped onto beomgyu’s arm. “And i cant believe it actually worked!” 

Soobin shouted and ran over to yeonjun. He launched himself at the older boy, wrapping him up in a hug and jumping up and down. “That food is almost ours yeonjunnie!” yeonjun jumped up and down with him, their happiness at getting food way more than their happiness of actually escaping. 

Once they settled down, they all stared at the dark and open vent again. 

“Do you think there’s something scary in there? Like bugs?” beomgyu asked worriedly, clinging to yeonjun.

“That’s what you’re scared of? And not something like out of a horror movie where they eat you?” yeonjun laughed. 

“I really hate bugs…” soobin trailed off, glancing at the dark vent and shuffling closer to yeonjun as well. 

“Ok, hyuka you’re the youngest, you go in first,” taehyun said. 

“Hey! Don't just sacrifice me!” hyuka screamed. 

Soobin laughed softly. “Ill go in first. It will be fine...i hope,” he said quietly. He also hated bugs, but he was going to try and be brave for the others. Surely it wont be dirty and gross in there because its a game, right?

Yeonjun noticed soobin’s hesitation, and then reached out to grab his hand. “Ill be right behind you. Let’s go!” soobin admitted he felt a little better with yeonjun by his side. 

And so they climbed into the vent, and made their way out of the room in single file. 

“It’s ok if you look at my ass. Ill let it slide just this once,” taehyun called out over his shoulder behind him to beomgyu. 

“I’m not looking at your ass!” beomgyu argued with him. 

“Nobody will know~” taehyun sang, laughing when beomgyu hit his leg. 

“Quit flirting back there!” yeonjun and soobin both yelled at the same time, their voices echoing in the vent. 

“Maybe if i curl up in here, i could die,” hueningkai groaned, being stuck at the end of the line. 

**

“Congratulations for escaping the room!” taehyung clapped excitedly when the five of them came out of the little door that led to the vent/tunnel they were crawling in. 

“Were we the first?” yeonjun asked, panting desperately. 

“Did we get the all you can eat buffet coupons?” soobin finished for him. 

Jungkook frowned at them. "Sadly, no. another team finished before you.”

Yeonjun gripped his heart, falling into soobin. “Noooooo!” he whined. Soobin threw an arm over his shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly. “Who was it? Who won the coupons?” he glared up at his hyungs. 

Other players from the other teams started piling into the room as they finished escaping. 

“The winners were mark and haechan’s team. They escaped about 20 minutes ago,” jungkook told him, amusement on his face at yeonjun’s dramatics. 

“God dammit!” yeonjun kicked up a fuss. “Me and soobinnie suffered in that god forsaken prison for hours, starving, dying of thirst, no signs of light, no hope for our future, all for NOTHING!” 

Taehyung snickered behind his hand, and jungkook rolled his eyes. “You were in there for a little over three hours. You sound like you were imprisoned for years,” he told him. The others all just watched yeonjun with surprise and amusement on their faces. 

“Shh, its ok yeonjunnie. We can go and get something to eat today. My treat ok? Will that make you feel better?” soobin cooed to his ‘boyfriend,’ not noticing the other people staring (besides beomgyu, taehyun and hyuka, they were used to their antics by now). 

Yeonjun nuzzled his face into soobin’s shoulder, pouting. “Yeah ok,” he mumbled, calming down and letting go at the immense disappointment he felt for not winning the game. He really wanted those coupons so he could eat with soobin and the others. 

“And we had a lot of fun together, right?” he mumbled to yeonjun in a soothing voice. He patted yeonjun’s hair. Yeonjun nodded, agreeing. “Then that’s what matters the most in my book,” soobin said, chuckling at yeonjun’s reluctant grunt of agreement. 

“Okay! Thank you all for playing! You may go home now!” taehyung clapped his hands, sending everybody home. Everyone took their eyes off of yeonjun and soobin, nodding and chatting as they left. 

“Come on yeonjun, let’s go get some lunch,” soobin said, letting yeonjun lean into his side as the five of them left. He held a hand to yeonjun’s back, softly guiding him out of the building. 

Taehyung closely watched them leave, chuckling when beomgyu and taehyun started arguing over something again, and hyuka let taehyun grab onto his arm so that he ‘wouldnt get lost.’

“There better be ice cream!” hyuka shouted at them. 

“I know that look,” jungkook said to his boyfriend. “The wheels are turning in that head of yours.”

Taehyung smiled at jungkook. “This has been an interesting day.” was all he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is kind of a filler chapter, but I tried my best!   
> next up, the boys go camping! kinda?? lol


	5. Chapter Five

“Things have been quiet…” yeonjun muttered against his arm. “ _Too_ quiet.” 

“Would you quit being paranoid? You act like everyone is out to get us,” soobin told him, flipping a page of his book. They were sitting at one of the many lounges located on the campus. Soobin doesnt have class until a little later, and since yeonjun was done for the day he decided to spend time with him. 

Well, it was more like stick close to his side like glue. Ever since they started ‘dating,’ the two have been inseparable. It was strange to soobin, really. Yeonjun used to be someone who barely showed up in his life. He was someone untouchable, only scraping the edge of his daily routine. He was always there, but so far away. Now, he effortlessly inserted himself into soobin’s life without soobin even realizing it. 

It was hardly surprising to see yeonjun waiting for soobin after his classes, gripping his hand and dragging him off to wherever he wanted to go. Nobody blinked twice now when they see soobin show up to yeonjun’s dance practice with a drink or extra clothes. And it was just a normal day for the campus when people walk by and see yeonjun giggle and squish soobin’s cheek, or play with his ears, or sit in his lap, or hang on his arm. 

“Expect the unexpected soobinnie,” yeonjun squinted around. “Since the elections are coming up in a little over a month, we have to trust nobody,” yeonjun whispered. Soobin just rolled his eyes, flipping another page of his book. 

“Well, my class is starting soon. Ill see you in a little bit,” soobin told him, getting up to put his book away. He straightened his clothes and then turned to leave. 

“Wait!” yeonjun gripped his wrist, forcing him to turn back towards him. soobin's wrist felt like it was on fire where yeonjun touched him. yeonjun looked up at soobin expectantly, a pout on his lips. “You’re forgetting something.”

Soobin sighed, trying to hide his smile as he leaned down and turned his face to the side. Yeonjun grinned, leaning up and giving him a quick peck on his cheek. “Now you may go,” he gave permission to soobin. 

Soobin tsked, gripping yeonjun’s chin and turning his head to give him a kiss on the cheek back. “Now i think im good,” he laughed, finally leaving. Yeonjun just blinked up at him with a smile on his face, watching him walk away. 

**

Soobin was sitting at a small table located inside one of the campus buildings. He just finished a long day of classes and was dead tired. He smiled at his phone, noticing all of the text messages yeonjun sent him while he was gone. 

He texted yeonjun back, telling him he was finished and where he was. Yeonjun responded immediately, yelling at him to stay put so he could meet up with him. Pocketing his phone, soobin rested his head on his arm, just lost in his thoughts. 

Honestly, he should be weirded out by the fact that he was now known all across campus as yeonjun’s ‘other half.’ but it was so easy to get caught up in yeonjun’s shenanigans that he doesnt even really notice. 

“-soobin, hello? Soobin!” someone called him, forcing him out of his thoughts as he blinked. A hand waved in front of his face, accompanied by a smiling daehwi and wooyoung. 

Soobin startled slightly, then sat up. “Daehwi? Wooyoung? Hi!” he said a little embarrassed that he was caught off guard. 

“I saw you sitting here and decided to join you. How have you been?” daehwi said, scooting on to the seat next to soobin. Wooyoung joined them on the other side of the table. 

“Fine, busy with the election and classes and stuff,” soobin told them. 

“Aw me too! I havent been able to hang out with san in like, 2 days, we’ve been so busy. And dance practice has been taking up like the whole week for the both of us. You are probably upset about it too, arent you soobinnie?” wooyoung said cutely, pouting and adjusting his glasses. 

Soobin looked at wooyoung with a confused face. “Why would i be so upset about your dance practice?” he asked him dumbly. 

Wooyoung giggled. “Not _my_ dance practice! Yeonjun’s! He’s been just as busy as the both of us, im sure you have been missing him like i miss my san. You’re so silly,” he hit soobin’s arm playfully. 

Actually, wooyoung wasn’t too far from the truth. Yeonjun has been especially busy this week with his dancing after classes. Soobin has also been super busy with his music and vocal lessons. He cant complain though since it’s nearing the middle of the semester. 

Soobin smiled softly at wooyoung. “Actually, yeonjun has made it a point to pick me up from classes everyday and text me practically every hour, so he makes missing him very difficult.”

Wooyoung squealed. “That is the cutest thing ever! I never knew yeonjun could be such a soft boyfriend! Dont you agree daehwi?” he looked over to the younger boy. 

Daehwi shrugged, looking irritated. “Yeah, i guess. He’s perfect after all.” soobin thought he sounded a bit patronizing when he said that, but he decided to ignore it. Perhaps daehwi was having a bad day.

Switching the subject, daehwi leaned closer to soobin. He was so small next to him, almost like a little teddy bear. Soobin thought he was adorable. “So, soobin. Have you heard about the retreat the music club and dance clubs have to go on?” 

Soobin’s face fell in confusion. “Uh, no?” 

“Well i wouldnt blame you! They just sent out the notice to our emails like 2 hours ago. Daehwi is a super nerd and actually checks his email like a good student,” wooyoung laughed. “I just found out about it like 10 minutes ago.” 

“What kind of retreat?” soobin asked. It was mandatory for every club to have some kind of retreat during the break in order to get ready for any competitions or evaluations the university is putting them through. They were a performing arts school after all. They compete with other performing arts programs around the nation, giving the students a chance to shine and impress any companies or scouts that may be present in the audience. Last year soobin sang a really pretty song and managed to get a high score from the judges. 

“Well, apparently the dance and music club instructors are planning on combining the two groups this year and doing a collab for the competitions! We are totally going to kick YG university’s ass this year. A lot of the faculty are pissed that YG took the dance trophy away from us, so we are upping our game,” wooyoung rubbed his hands together in excitement. “They told us that we have to go on a three week long retreat that involves like extensive training and stuff. Each music student gets partnered with a dance student for the collaboration. However, there are more music students than dance students, so a few people might have to double up.”

Soobin almost choked. Super extensive training? That doesnt sound so pleasant. The only training he needs in his life is how to sleep longer. 

He smiled at wooyoung. “Im assuming you are going to partner with san, of course.” 

Wooyoung giggled. “Its like you read my mind! My sannie is so great at dancing, and im in both the music and dance clubs so yay! Nobody can stop us! Are you going to partner with yeonjun?” wooyoung blinked over at soobin. 

Soobin thought about it. It made sense that he has to partner with yeonjun, but honestly? He doesnt know if yeonjun would be willing to work with him on something as important as a collaboration. Yeonjun is always the best at everything, and its clear he’s super ambitious to get into one of the top entertainment companies. The words yeonjun said to san from first year echoed in the back of soobin’s mind. 

“I’m...not sure,” soobin admitted. There were so many other talented singers in his club that would pair up well with yeonjun. Hell, it made more sense that taehyun would pair up with him since they were friends for so long. 

Daehwi perked up at this. “Dont listen to wooyoung. The partners are completely by random anyways. Taehyung and jungkook are in charge of picking the teams since they are the most experienced in our school. Did you hear that they are already going to debut in a seven membered boy group after graduation?!” 

Wooyoung gasped at that. “No! When did this happen?!” 

Daehwi ignored him. “So if we are lucky, maybe we can be a team? i can ask taehyung-ssi to try and group us together,” daehwi asked, looking up shyly at soobin. 

Soobin didnt want to feel a twinge of disappointment at the mention of him getting partnered with daehwi. He likes the other boy, and he’s always been super nice to soobin, but still he felt...nothing. 

He was about to say sure (soobin was too nice to turn someone down and say no to them) and make a decision he knew deep down he would regret, but then familiar arms wrapped around his neck and someone’s chin rested on his shoulder. Soobin almost melted into the embrace, immediately recognizing it as yeonjun. 

“Back off squirt. Soobin is clearly going to be teaming up with me. If you havent noticed, he’s taken,” yeonjun glared at daehwi, having overheard some of their conversation on his way over. He wanted to smack daehwi’s cute puppy dog look he was giving soobin moments ago off his face. How dare he try to guilt soobin into being with him! For almost three weeks! 

Daehwi glared back at yeonjun. “It doesnt matter that he’s taken. Everyone should be teamed based on their abilities.”

“Which makes it even more perfect then. Im great at dance, and soobin is great at singing. We complement each other perfectly,” yeonjun sneered. 

“How would you even know soobin is great at singing if you’ve never worked with him before?” daehwi challenged. 

Yeonjun scoffed, tightening his hold on soobin. “Of course i know how wonderful he sings. He didnt get that high score last year based on luck, duhhh!” he rolled his eyes. 

Soobin froze at that, glancing up at yeonjun. Yeonjun was there at his competition last year? Why? The dance majors had a different day for their competition. 

Daehwi gritted his teeth, getting irritated. Wooyoung looked back and forth between them, clearly amused at the tension. And just to annoy daehwi even more, yeonjun placed a soft kiss to the side of soobin’s neck, and then scooched into the chair next to him, further distancing daehwi from soobin.

Soobin was at a loss for words. Clearly yeonjun was the jealous type. Honestly, he doesnt think daehwi likes him like that, but yeonjun is always set in his ways. 

“So, sugar plum, how has your day been?” yeonjun asked, ignoring daehwi. He almost wanted to laugh at the look of horror on soobin’s face with the nickname he gave him. Soobin hit his shoe under the table to get him to knock it off. 

“Angel? Everything all right?” yeonjun continued, enjoying soobin’s growing annoyance. Soobin was giving him his complete attention now. 

Soobin wanted to strangle yeonjun for being so cheesy and embarrassing in front of other people. He was taking this whole ‘relationship’ thing too far in his opinion. But still, they have to look like they are a couple in order to win the election. So soobin gritted his teeth and smiled sweetly at yeonjun. 

“My strawberry cupcake, it was good, but its even better when you are here,” he laughed (fakely). Yeonjun coughed at that, unable to hide the smirk on his face. He was enjoying this too much.

“You two are so sweet!” wooyoung said. Daehwi looked even more angry at the attention soobin was giving yeonjun. 

“Of course! He’s like my apple pie, sugar cookie, tiramisu, cheesecake, ice cream sandwich…” yeonjun trailed off. 

He then turned to soobin with a serious face. “You thinking what im thinking?” he asked his boyfriend. 

“That new bakery that just opened up a block away about a week ago?” soobin said, reading his mind immediately. 

“Its like we were made for each other,” yeonjun nodded. “Ill buy the drinks, you buy the pastries!” He said in excitement, grabbing soobin’s bag so that they could go, go, go.

“Deal!” soobin said as he got up from his seat and rushed to follow yeonjun out. They were gone within 30 seconds. 

“What just happened?” wooyoung said with a giggle, turning to daehwi. “Arent they just so adorable?”

“Yeah, cute,” daewhi answered with a bitterness to his voice. 

**

So that’s what happened. Once break hit the campus, the music and dance clubs were forced to go on a retreat together for three weeks in order to train super hard for the upcoming competitions. It was going to be an epic collaboration, one of the first the school has ever seen. 

However, there was a small itty bitty problem. You see, this retreat was going to take place up in a more rural area. It was a beautiful reserve with log cabins, fire pits, a lake, you name it. It had nice trails to hike and jog on, a great facility to practice dance and singing in. plenty of room to move around and exercise. 

And that was soobin’s biggest problem. Exercise. Like, physical activity. Physical activity that goes way beyond what he needs for vocal lessons. He barely made it through first year alive. 

Now, dont get him wrong. He’s not horrible at dancing. He actually can do pretty well. And after hearing yeonjun’s words that one day, he became even more determined to do well. He worked even harder, almost as hard as yeonjun, and promised himself he could do it. But as the years went by, he lost some of that determination. Dancing just wasnt his thing. He didnt hate it, but he didnt especially love it with all of his heart. 

Soobin stood with the others, staring at the retreat site they are staying (trapped) in for the next three weeks. They still havent found out who their cabin mate/partner was yet. Taehyung and jungkook had complete control over it. 

The music majors were already there, ready to go. The dance majors would be joining them shortly, having to take a separate bus. 

Hueningkai clapped his hands excitedly. “This is going to be so much fun! I heard this place is beautiful this time of year,” he told soobin. As he jumped up and down, he jostled taehyun, who had his arm linked with hueningkai’s. 

“Yes, i prefer nature and wildlife over the comfort of my blankets,” soobin said sarcastically. As they bickered back and forth, the dance majors finally arrived. 

“SOOBIN DID YOU MISS ME?!” a voice shouted from the bus window. Everyone turned towards the parking lot where they were pulling in. “move it, out of my way, hyunjin if you dont get out of the aisle in 3 seconds you are going to find my ass in your face-” the voice continued, grunting until he was off the bus. 

Soobin groaned at the loud voice so early in the morning, and also the embarrassment that was yeonjun. He hid behind taehyun, as if that would do any good. 

“Soobinnie, im hereeee!” yeonjun laughed, running up to soobin and tugging him away from taehyun. 

“Oh, yeonjun, i didnt notice you there,” soobin said, making hueningkai snort. He dodged when yeonjun went to go and kiss him on the cheek. This made yeonjun pout. 

“Soobin, i need my morning kiss. I did not just cross the fucking sahara desert that is known as the parking lot for you to not give me the love and attention that i deserve,” yeonjun humphed, his hands on his hips. 

“Hyuka, i think i have died and risen to heaven,” taehyun muttered to him, watching as beomgyu got off the bus. The older boy dyed his hair back to black, making taehyun’s heart stop at how gorgeous he looked with dark hair. 

“More like ascended from hell,” hyuka snickered at him, slapping his knee. Taehyun elbowed him in the side to get him to shut up. 

“Hey guys!” beomgyu said, brushing his dark bangs out of his face. 

“Oh my lord,” taehyun said, falling into hueningkai. 

“You ok there?” beomgyu asked, his brows frowning in concern. 

“Just fine,” taehyun squeaked. 

“He will be if you give him a hug,” hyuka smiled over at beomgyu. 

“A hug? How would that help?” beomgyu asked stupidly. 

Taehyun kicked hyuka in the shin, surely leaving a bruise. He leaned close to hyuka, whispering with a death glare. “You may be taller than me, but i wont hesitate to break your kneecaps,” he hissed at the younger boy. Hyuka grinned widely at him. 

“Guys?” beomgyu asked, totally confused. 

“Alright everyone, gather around! We are going to give you a rundown of the schedule for this week and then tell you which cabin you are in!” jungkook said, clapping his hands to get their attention. 

“To make this retreat even more exciting, jungkook and i brought back a few graduated alumni you may be familiar with. They are going to help with some of the exercises throughout the retreat!” taehyung smiled at them. 

“So, today we are going to spend the morning unpacking, getting organized. Then have some lunch. And then spend the afternoon doing some warm up exercises and practice routines you should all already be familiar with. Then its break for dinner. Then i want you all to jog around the reserve a few times. After that, the night is yours but curfew is 11pm. Starting tomorrow, we get up at 5am, have a morning jog, breakfast, then vocal lessons…”

Jungkook finished the schedule for the next few days. Soobin felt tired already just from listening to that. 

“That doesnt seem that bad, right soobin?” yeonjun asked, glancing over at his boyfriend. 

Soobin panicked. “Taehyun think fast!” he yelled, throwing his duffel bag he was carrying at the smaller boy. Then he turned and tried to run away. “Well it was nice knowing you guys, but i have to go.”

“Not so fast!” yeonjun yelled, laughing as he caught soobin’s tshirt and dragged him back. “Did you seriously try to make a run for it? All because of the schedule?” 

“But there’s so much exercising,” soobin pouted, walking backwards as yeonjun pulled him back to him. 

“Duh! Its called training!” 

“We havent even heard who our roommates are going to be yet!” hueningkai said to him. That made soobin pause. Right. He forgot he is going to have to share a cabin with someone for the next three weeks. To be honest, he felt a bit uncomfortable about this. He wasnt close to anyone except for yeonjun and the others. 

“I swear to god if its daehwi, im going to kill myself and then him,” yeonjun muttered under his breath. 

“That...didnt even make sense,” beomgyu pointed out. 

“Now we know how important it is for teamwork. So jungkook and i took into consideration who to pair up very seriously. We also took in some suggestions that was given to us. So listen up as we call out the partners and cabins. First up, wooyoung and san cabin 1, hueningkai and yang jeongin cabin 2, mingi and jongho cabin 3…” 

Yeonjun bit his lip, worried he wouldnt get partnered up with soobin. He made it a point to let jungkook know what his preferences were (and yes, he was nice enough to mention that wooyoung and san should be partnered together as well. They were like a dream team and even though he was competing against them in elections, he still wants his school to do well in their music and dance competitions). Obviously he suggested soobin be with him, but that doesnt mean it was guaranteed. And he knows damn well daehwi and a few others probably asked to be partnered with soobin too. 

That made him even more pissed off for some reason. Soobin just walks around, totally oblivious on how people really think about him. He has this weird notion in his head that he’s invisible when he’s anything but. Yeonjun can see it. He could always see it with his calculating eyes. 

“Beomgyu and taehyun, cabin 10,” the list continued. It was like pure torture for yeonjun. At least taehyun got what he wanted, that little brat. Everybody knows how much taehyun admires the second year. Yeonjun has even had to help taehyun fend off a few admirers over beomgyu. That boy was just too pretty for his own good. 

And apparently dumb as dirt if he hasnt noticed how much taehyun likes him by now. 

“Yeonjun and soobin cabin 13…” jungkook continued to drawl. Yeonjun’s eyes lit up at that, looking up to soobin with a smile on his face. 

At the same time, soobin visibly relaxed. He’s glad he doesnt have to try and be nice now, or pretend to get along with anyone. Because despite his ongoing war with yeonjun, he found he was the most comfortable with the older boy. How could he not be? Yeonjun has always been his true self in front of soobin and the others, making it super easy to interact with him. 

Yeonjun glanced over at daehwi, seeing the crushed look on his face. Now, yeonjun wasn’t a horrible person. He felt a little bit sorry for the smaller boy. But soobin was his, and it was time for daehwi to move on. 

Once the announcements were done, everybody was ushered off into different directions towards their cabins. They were cute small buildings made of logs, all lined up around the lake’s edge. 

Yeonjun threw his bags down on the ground, plopping on one of the beds shoved to the wall. The place was actually very cozy. There was a bathroom and shower room off to the side, an armchair and coffee table in a smaller room with a window, and then around the corner is one huge bedroom with two beds, two dressers, two closets etc. it wasnt super big, but the place was nice enough to enjoy spending three weeks in. 

Soobin looked through the window in the other room. It opened up to the back of the cabin where the forest was, and he smiled at the beautiful scenery. There were sounds of the wind brushing through the tree’s leaves, and birds chirping up in their branches. He knew immediately this would be his favorite place while he was here.

“What do you think they are going to give us for lunch?” yeonjun asked as he quietly walked into the room and hugged soobin from behind. Soobin startled a little at getting caught off guard. Yeonjun then rested his chin on his shoulder, looking out of the window too. 

“You know...you dont have to pretend to be dating me while we are in here. Nobody is around to notice,” soobin muttered, his heart racing at yeonjun’s closeness. 

Yeonjun frowned. “I dont care. From now until the end of elections you are my boyfriend, no matter where we are. So i get to treat you like it,” he argued. 

He really shouldnt say stuff like this. Yeonjun really shouldnt, because soobin’s heart was too weak for those kinds of things. At first it was just a game, but if he lets himself get too used to it, it will be harder to change back to the way things were once it was over with. 

“Im not sure, maybe meat?” soobin answered his first question, changing the subject. He didnt step away from yeonjun’s hold around his waist though. He liked the warmth, and yeonjun smelled good. 

Yeonjun squealed, letting go and getting excited. “I hope to god its meat because im starving!” 

“Me too,” soobin laughed, turning away from the window and heading to his side of the bedroom so that he could unpack. 

“Thank god you like food as much as me. I dont think i would be able to date anyone that was a picky eater,” yeonjun sighed in content, following soobin. 

However, it was indeed not meat that they got for lunch. Soobin and yeonjun both stared down at their plates in horror. 

“Why the _hell_ is everything healthy?” yeonjun hissed at his food. “Come on soobin, if we hurry up we can be out of here and down the mountain by the time dinner comes around,” he whispered to soobin.

“Already one step ahead of you yeonjun. They close the gates surrounding this place around 9pm, so that gives us just enough time to get in and then get out-”

Hyuka walked over and flicked them both in the head. “Would you two stop conspiring over how to get fast food down the mountain? They are giving us healthy lunches only because of all of the extensive exercise we will have to do. You dont want to throw up your meals, do you? Once we end our day, we get some pretty hefty dinners, so quit your bitching.” 

Yeonjun grumbled, glaring down at the plate. Soobin was also eyeing it warily. 

“Fine,” yeonjun mumbled, picking up his fork and eating the steamed vegetable he was handed. 

Soobin leaned closer, whispering in yeonjun’s ear. His hot breath against his skin made yeonjun shiver. “Dont worry hyung. I have emergency candy in one of my bags that we can share later.”

Yeonjun nodded, not looking at soobin for fear he would notice his flushed state. If yeonjun looked up slightly, he would be able to kiss soobin that’s how close they were sitting. Like how wooyoung likes to give light pecks to san when he thinks no one is looking. 

“Okay, say ahhhh!” taehyun snickered, trying to feed beomgyu a forkful of his veggies. He made airplane noises and swooshed the fork in the air before heading straight for beomgyu’s mouth. 

“Would you quit it?” beomgyu hissed, turning his face away at the fork. 

“Aw look how cute you get when you are embarrassed!” taehyun laughed, enjoying bothering beomgyu. 

“Im not embarrassed! Im mad! You are only giving me the vegetables that you hate eating, who do you think you are fooling?!” beomgyu yelled at him. 

“Would you two quit flirting?” hueningkai yelled over to them. 

“We arent flirting!” beomgyu yelled back.

“They are totally flirting,” yeonjun whispered to soobin. Soobin nodded in agreement. 

**

“Oh god, i think im going to have cardiac arrest,” soobin panted, jogging around the campsite with the others. 

“Its been 5 minutes,” taehyun told him. 

“Five minutes too long!” soobin yelled, out of breath. 

“Quit being dramatic. We both know you can run pretty decently,” yeonjun said, scoffing at soobin’s exaggeration. He jogged effortlessly next to soobin and the others, barely winded. The sun was shining high in the sky, and if it wasnt for the occasional breeze blowing in their faces, it would have been a really hot day. 

Okay, so soobin was being a little dramatic. But he would rather die than exercise willingly. On top of that, the trails led up the mountain! It was hell on his calves. After another 25 minutes of running, he started getting way slower (as any normal person would). Taehyun, beomgyu, hyuka and the others started getting ahead of him. Feeling bad for soobin, yeonjun slowed down so that he wouldn’t be completely last. 

And like a complete idiot, soobin tripped slightly and stumbled onto the dirt ground. Yeonjun noticed and stopped jogging, looking down at soobin with an amused smile. 

“Go on without me!” soobin huffed, holding out his arm dramatically and laying on the ground like a damsel in distress. “There’s no way you are going to be….the first one to...finish if you stay with me,” soobin panted, sucking in air like he was suffocating. 

Yeonjun snorted, staring down at him and his antics. “Get up dumbass. I gave up being first place the moment i knew you were my partner.”

Soobin blinked at him. “Oh, well in that case,” then he stood up effortlessly, dusting off his clothes. Yeonjun rolled his eyes. He knew soobin was just faking most of it. He could perfectly handle the exercise (if he wasnt so much out of shape). 

Yeonjun reached up, wiping away some of soobin’s sweat and brushing back his sweaty bangs. Soobin let him, enjoying the cool feel of yeonjun’s hands on his flushed face. Then yeonjun held out a hand for him to take. “Come on soobinnie. We gotta get you back into shape so that you dont suffer as much later this week,” he said, pulling soobin with him. 

Soobin groaned, following him reluctantly as yeonjun laughed. 

**

“Look at them, all disgustingly cute. Do they feel the need to rub it in our faces?” yeonjun hissed to soobin as he glared over at wooyoung and san.

Everyone was currently in the makeshift dance practice studio warming up and doing exercises before beginning another dance routine. It was important to stretch, and they were instructed to partner up and help each other out. Naturally, yeonjun was partnered with soobin. He had to practically fight daehwi off of his boyfriend moments before. 

so this is what happened.

Soobin was casually talking to seonghwa with his back turned, unaware of the approaching boy. Daehwi was about to claim soobin as today’s warm up partner, and he happily skipped over to soobin since the coast was clear (yeonjun was practically a guard dog, making it impossible for daehwi to see much of soobin). Yeonjun was forced to talk to mingi (the guy had a question, and of course yeonjun had to be nice and help him out) when he saw the little snake slither on over to his boyfriend. 

Which led to yeonjun sticking out his foot 'accidentally', and tripping daehwi. The boy didnt fall, but he did stumble a bit. This gave yeonjun a chance to (rudely) leave mingi and beeline over to soobin before daehwi could. Was yeonjun petty enough to smirk down at daehwi as he passed? Yes, yes he was. 

Daehwi glared at him, unable to do anything about it. 

Soobin startled when he felt a pair of hands wrap around his waist and yank him into a warm and sturdy chest. 

“He’s mine! Dont even think about it,” yeonjun hissed, clinging to soobin like a koala. He glared at seonghwa like an angry chihuahua, lifting his leg to wrap around soobin, marking his territory. 

Soobin laughed, unable to help himself after witnessing yeonjun’s idiocy. He caught yeonjun’s leg in mid-air and held onto him as yeonjun flung himself at him. 

“Please ignore him, he gets jealous easily,” soobin sighed with a smile. 

“I see that,” seonghwa told him, a brow raised in surprise. 

Then he clapped soobin on the shoulder, excusing himself. “I have to go see if hongjoong decided to eat today. That stupid boy gets so wrapped up in his work he forgets to function like a normal human being,” he grumbled under his breath as yeonjun watched him walk away. 

Soobin slapped yeonjun’s arm. “Would you quit glaring? Seonghwa is just a friend, _a friend!”_

yeonjun nodded, deeming seonghwa safe. “If i didnt already know that hongjoong obviously has the hots for him, i would’ve made it clear that you were off limits.” 

Soobin was surprised about this. He asked yeonjun more about it as they got ready to stretch together. Which brings us to our current situation. 

Everyone was partnered up, taking turns stretching. Wooyoung and san were doing sit ups. San held wooyoung’s feet, and each time wooyoung did a sit up, he pecked san on the lips before going back down. They were in their own little world, giggling and having the time of their lives. 

Soobin huffed and puffed as he did another sit up, meeting yeonjun face to face as yeonjun held his feet. yeonjun threatened him with an onslaught of 'motivational' phrases to get soobin to keep going as they both watched with judging stares as wooyoung and san kissed again. 

soobin went back down, and then came back up. “I would rather fall dead in a ditch than so that with you,” soobin threatened. He went back down, then came back up. 

Yeonjun gave him an incredulous look. “Dont get your hopes up. First of all, we are sweaty and gross. Second of all, if im going to kiss you, its not going to be quick and meaningless pecks on the lips like that,” he said with a smirk. "those two over there are wimps. I say, go big or go home."

Soobin ignored the warm feeling in his stomach at yeonjun’s words. "is everything a competition to you?" he wheezed out.

He did twenty more sit ups before finally collapsing on the ground, his baggy white tshirt covered in sweat. “This is my hell,” he whined cutely. 

Yeonjun laughed, spinning around so that he was sitting next to soobin’s head. He lifted soobin’s head forcefully so that soobin could rest it on his thigh. Soobin didnt object, too winded. 

“It’s always like this on the first day,” yeonjun told him softly. He reached over and ran his hands through soobin’s sweaty black bangs, trying to cool him off. It really should bother him, considering they were both pretty gross, but for some reason yeonjun cant keep his hands off his boyfriend. 

“This is almost as bad as first year,” soobin mumbled, closing his eyes at the soothing feel of yeonjun’s fingertips. Yeonjun frowned, his eyes darkening at being reminded of that time. But the look was gone as soon as it came. 

“Well it wont be,” yeonjun said quietly. “Because this time you have me around constantly.”

Soobin opened his eyes, staring at yeonjun in confusion. “I was with you almost constantly in first year as well.” 

“Its different since then,” yeonjun muttered, looking away. 

“Okay everybody! Get up, we are about to start!” jung hoseok yelled, gaining a few pained groans from the crowd. Soobin included. 

Soobin reluctantly got up, his bones cracking which made yeonjun laugh really loudly. Soobin swiped a hand at him and yeonjun dodged playfully. They were so engrossed in each other that they didnt notice a few looks from the other club members. 

**

“So, what did you need to talk to me about?” soobin asked daehwi, leaning up against a tree that was a bit away from the huge picnic and pavilion area where they were currently having BBQ for dinner. soobin tried not to look longingly over at the food. 

Not too long ago, daehwi told soobin to meet up with him after practice. They were all still really sweaty and gross, but none of them thought it would be worth it to shower, only to come back out here and get sweaty again as they grilled their meat over the flames. 

Daehwi shuffled uneasily on his feet, his hands clasped in front of him. It made soobin wary over what the other boy had to say. It must have been something serious. Soobin didnt even have time to find yeonjun or the others to let them know he would be gone for a few minutes. 

“Well, you see…” daehwi stumbled on his words, avoiding eye contact with soobin. To be fair, soobin towered over daehwi, so it could be a bit intimidating to some people. 

Soobin reached forward and rested a warm hand against daehwi’s arm. soobin was just an honest to god nice person like that. “Hey, its ok. You can tell me,” he said softly with kind eyes. 

Daehwi then glanced up, swallowing before nodding. “Im not sure you are going to like what i have to say. That’s why this is a bit hard for me,” he told soobin. 

Soobin set his lips into his natural pout, his brows scrunching together in confusion. “No matter what it is, i promise i wont get upset. Just tell me truthfully, that’s all i ask.” soobin can appreciate it when people are being truthful to him, even if they arent being nice about it. 

Daehwi nodded, feeling a bit better after his response. “Ok...i dont know how i should tell you this...but, i dont think yeonjun is good for you.” 

Soobin blinked in astonishment. Out of all the things he thought daehwi was going to say (he sucked at dancing, he was quitting the music club, he had cancer etc) this was certainly not one of them. 

“I dont understand,” soobin said carefully. He honestly has no idea where daehwi was coming from. 

Daehwi sighed. “Yeonjun has been lying to you. To all of us, really. He acts like he’s so nice and great, but in reality he’s a horrible person. I just didnt want you to fall for him and then get hurt later on,” he rambled. 

Soobin wanted to snort. _That’s_ the reason? 

“Im sure this is all a big misunderstanding,” soobin started to defend yeonjun. 

Daehwi cut him off. “No, it isnt. Look, soobin, im not going to deny yeonjun is great at what he does. And of course everyone finds him super attractive, so its no wonder you started dating him. But that’s just it. Yeonjun is nothing but a cold beauty. He’s heartless, and you deserve better than him. You are so kind and gentle. You deserve someone who loves you unconditionally, and i just dont think yeonjun can give you that. He’s too wrapped up in himself.”

Soobin was surprised, to say the least. He started to get a little annoyed with the way daehwi was talking. Daehwi couldnt have been more wrong about yeonjun. Yeonjun wasnt a ‘cold beauty.’ he was always a storm of fire and passion. He charged into soobin’s world like a tempest. 

Then soobin started to get really pissed. Does daehwi only think soobin is dating yeonjun because he’s _attractive?_ Give him a little more credit. They _both_ are more diabolical than that. This is all for the elections. 

Summoning a huge wave of calm, soobin let out a breath he didnt know he was holding. “Daehwi, im going to ask you kindly to stop talking bad about yeonjun like that. I already know what he’s really like, and i accept him for it. I like him, and im not going to stop dating him.” there, he said it. Conversation over. Can he please get back to the BBQ now? He’s starving. the only reason why he wasn't running out of there is because he knows yeonjun will save him a plate. even though they are both crazy about food, they both share their food equally with each other. soobin was the only one yeonjun is willing to give his food to without a fuss. 

He began to turn away when daehwi gripped his wrist with frantic eyes. “No! You need to listen to me. I just dont want you to get heartbroken when he tosses you aside. You deserve someone else!” he said. 

Soobin’s eyes softened. Ah. he understands now. Perhaps yeonjun was right all along. Perhaps yeonjun’s jealousy was not just for show. 

Daehwi likes him. 

Like, really likes him. It’s clear in the way he looks at soobin, and in the way he’s trying like hell to get soobin to leave yeonjun. Maybe he’s always liked soobin, but was just too shy to act upon it until it was too late. 

And it _was_ too late. It would always have been too late. 

“Like who?” he asked gently, softly tugging his wrist free from daehwi’s grip. Despite daehwi being a nice guy, his touch just felt all wrong. He didnt get butterflies in his stomach, and his pulse didnt beat at a concerning rate like it does when a certain blue haired boy touches him.

Daehwi looked down, licking his lips. “Someone like me? I know this is sudden, but i really like you soobin. And i think you would be happier with me than with someone like yeonjun.” 

Soobin was flattered, really he was. He should have seen this coming a mile away. Yeonjun warned him, Soobin just didnt believe him. What was so great about him anyways? Yeonjun was clearly the more popular and sought after one of the two of them. 

“I’m sorry daehwi. You are a nice person, and im glad you feel this way about me. But im going to have to kindly decline your confession. It’s too late.” soobin felt bad, but he has to be honest. He doesnt want to lead anybody on. 

He turned to go, when daehwi spoke up. 

“If...if you werent dating yeonjun, would you have given me a chance?” he asked quietly. He didnt look super upset to soobin, probably because he knew he was going to get turned down, but there was still a sparkle of hope in his eyes. 

Soobin didnt know where this burst of honesty came from. He didnt know why he said it. It was more of an admittance to himself rather than to daehwi. But the moment the words left his lips, they couldnt have been truer. 

“No, I wouldn't have given you a chance. As long as yeonjun exists in this world, i dont think it would have been possible for me to be with anyone else but him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was going to go on longer, but I decided to split it up here. I thought this was a good place to stop.  
> more crack and idiocy comes next with yeonbin and the boys.
> 
> guys, I really love daehwi. he's my bias from AB6IX, so of course I had to use him in the cliché 'someone else is pining after my boyfriend and im jealous' sort of way lol


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a reminder, this is not supposed to be an angsty fic lol

“Hey soobin,” daehwi said, jogging up next to him. They were doing their morning runs. Its only been a few days, and soobin already feels like he’s dying. 

Soobin side-glanced at daehwi, a little tense after their ‘friendly chat’ the other day. They havent spoken since, and yes soobin feels a little bad about it, but he figured it would be better if they gave each other some space. On top of that, yeonjun has been kind of cold acting towards soobin ever since he returned to the BBQ late. 

“Hi…” soobin huffed out. 

“Look, soobin. Im not going to apologize for what i said the other day, because i meant all of it. But i can be the bigger person here and say that i respect your decisions and still want to be friends with you,” daehwi turned his face to soobin, giving him a small smile. 

Well, soobin can reason with that. He nodded his head. “Ok, that works for me. Truce?”

“Of course!” daehwi chuckled. “So how are you liking this retreat from hell?” 

Soobin groaned, bumping into daehwi’s shoulder playfully and laughing while jogging. “Well, i just got this random burst of energy earlier, and i think its my body’s last hurrah before it completely shuts down,” he told daehwi while huffing. 

Daehwi laughed. “Its not that bad! Quit whining!”

A few moments ago, daehwi passed yeonjun while jogging closer to soobin who was up ahead. 

Yeonjun panted, blowing leaves out of his face as he watched daehwi stick his tongue out as he passed by. He jogged up to soobin, intentionally leaning into his shoulder as they ran together. He said something that made soobin laugh, turning his beautiful dimples towards daehwi. 

Yeonjun gritted his teeth, snarling at the exchange. That bastard pushed him on purpose! All so that he could steal  _ his _ boyfriend! It was no secret that daehwi has had his eye on soobin since first year. It would seem now he’s actually doing something about it ever since soobin declared he was dating yeonjun. 

A hand reached out in front of his face, blocking his view of the disappearing figures of soobin and daehwi. He forced his glare away from them, looking up into the newcomer’s face. Hueningkai was casually eating a frozen juice bar, holding out his hand to help yeonjun up. Yeonjun took his hand wordlessly, and then brushed off the dirt from his clothes. He hissed when he noticed a scrape on his knee, most likely from him trying to catch his fall. 

“I would ask what happened, but i saw the whole thing from back there,” hueningkai told him. 

“Im going to curse him and his first born for daring to push  _ The Choi Yeonjun _ to the ground,” yeonjun snarled. Hyuka snorted at the feral look on yeonjun’s face. 

They started to get back on the path and jog to catch up, hueningkai still eating his juice bar that yeonjun has no idea where he got it from. He’s learned by now not to question the things hyuka can do. 

“To be honest, i dont like daehwi. There’s something about him that just seems off,” hyuka told yeonjun. 

“Obviously.” yeonjun snorted. “The piece of shit is literally trying to steal my boyfriend out from under my nose.”

“Fake boyfriend,” hyuka corrected. 

Yeonjun glared at him. “Doesnt matter to me. Soobin is mine.”

Hyuka smiled at that, but chose to say nothing. He slurped on his juice bar as they jogged. “Well, what are you going to do about it? If you dont hurry, soobin might fall for daehwi, and then this whole fake relationship will end.” 

Yeonjun pressed his lips together into a thin line, his brows furrowing at that statement. He never thought about when this pretend relationship was going to end. He knew it would probably be after the election, but that was still over a month away. 

Then he snorted. “Soobin would never fall for a little twig like daehwi. Not when he has me,” he told the younger boy confidently. 

Hyuka raised a brow. “Perhaps, but good looks dont mean much to soobin. In the end, he’s the type of person that would choose the personality over the looks. He would probably go for someone who makes him laugh, understands him, and someone he can rely on. In my eyes, daehwi could be one of those people. And if not daehwi, then someone else.” he gauged yeonjun’s reaction closely. He was egging yeonjun on. 

Hyuka thought for sure yeonjun would get mad at his words. He waited for yeonjun to curse and swear, and claim he could be that type of person for soobin in daehwi's place. But he did neither of those things, and for that hueningkai blinked at him in surprise. 

Yeonjun had a pained look of defeat on his face. He was watching the backs of soobin and daehwi, how soobin chuckled at something again and hit daehwi playfully on the shoulder. There was sadness and insecurity in his eyes, and hyuka had to do a double take to make sure he wasnt imagining it. 

“You’re right,” yeonjun mumbled to hueningkai. “Soobin would choose the personality over the looks. Being attractive doesnt mean a thing to him. He was always a nice person like that, always seeing the good in other people. Even when we were first years and they all made fun of him, he never once lashed out or blamed them. I could never be someone like that.” he looked to the ground sadly, watching his feet move forward as he ran. 

Hyuka watched him in astonishment. This was a new experience for him. Choi yeonjun, the most confident person in the world, looked unsure and vulnerable. He just admitted he was aware of his faults and flaws. 

Any normal person would say that yeonjun and soobin werent a good match. That soobin deserved better than some stuck-up and arrogant person like yeonjun. However, that's not how hueningkai sees it. Yeonjun is someone who understands soobin better than all of the others, without even realizing he does. Yeonjun can see people for who they really are, and that’s a quality hyuka can admire in him. Yeonjun was never fake to soobin, he never held back what he was truly like. Sure, he was fake to everyone else, but that didnt really matter as long as he wasnt fake to soobin and the rest of them. He always told soobin exactly what he thought. He never hid a single thing from him. Above all else, yeonjun is someone soobin can trust whole-heartedly. 

Hueningkai has a sneaking suspicion soobin already knows all of this. 

Which is why, yes, soobin is smiling right now and joking with daehwi up ahead, but he will never smile as bright as he does when he’s with yeonjun. The smile never quite reaches his eyes, unless its something yeonjun says. Hueningkai may have not been with yeonjun and soobin during their first year, but he can guess that it’s always been that way with the two of them. 

If only yeonjun could get his head out of his ass and realize that he’s everything soobin has always wanted. He sighed out loud. They were both idiots. He feels like he’s living in a kdrama right now. 

Hueningkai finished his juice bar, licking his lips that now turned purple from the grape flavor. He slowed his jogging and yeonjun slowed down to keep pace with him. “You know,” he began. “There are many reasons to love someone. For example their looks, the way they make us laugh, similar hobbies and interests. Things like that.”

Yeonjun side glanced at hueningkai, confusion on his face. “Oh god, are you going to go all Oprah or Dr. Phil on me right now?”

Hyuka smirked over at him, but he continued. “But those things arent the  _ real _ reasons why we fall in love with someone. We fall in love with someone who is like our best friend but more, the one person in the world who knows you better than anyone else. They make you want to become a better person, just for them. You love them because they know the real you, and accept you anyways. If you find someone like that, then you know your feelings are real.”

Yeonjun stopped jogging, staring at hueningkai. Hyuka turned, jogging in place and waiting for him to move again. 

Yeonjun bit his bottom lip, letting all of that sink in. 

Hyuka laughed at him, right in his face. “I didnt say his name, but you thought of someone in your mind didnt you?” 

“Whatever,” yeonjun scoffed, looking away shyly. He was silent for a few moments, and then he snapped his head up, eyes squinting at hueningkai in suspicion. “I was going to say that those words were really beautiful, and im honestly impressed something so meaningful came out of that stupid weasel mouth of yours. But then it hit me. did you just quote that stupid ass ‘what is a soulmate’ video on youtube?!” 

Hueningkai squealed evilly as yeonjun ran and tried kicking him with his foot. The people around them stared in awe at yeonjun, chasing the younger boy and cursing at him. 

“Get back here you little piece of shit! Im gonna strangle you to death!”

“Id like to see you try! Death cannot come sooner!” hyuka yelled back.

“You are gonna wake up to your stuffed animal’s dead carcasses nailed to the cabin door!” 

Hyuka gasped. “You wouldnt.”

“I most certainly would. And beomgyu and taehyun would more than happily help me.” 

**

“Has yeonjun been okay lately?” soobin asked beomgyu. “He hasnt been as clingy as he normally is.”

Beomgyu shrugged. “Im not sure. He’s probably in another one of his moods. You know how it goes,” he waved away the concern. Still, soobin glanced over at yeonjun who was currently helping jongho with his dancing. Soobin wanted to pout, a little annoyed that yeonjun wasnt with him, but understanding that he was one of the top dancers in this room and has to help the vocalists. 

“Ok everybody! I want you all to change partners today!” Park Jimin said, instructing the class to switch it up. 

Yeonjun stopped what he was doing, mouth open in shock. “Change partners?! why? Soobin is my partner!” Everybody stopped and stared, surprised by his outburst. 

Soobin smiled over at him. “Yeonjun, its okay, its only for today,” he placated him. 

Yeonjun pouted, forgetting his image he has to uphold. “But-” 

Daehwi then walked up to soobin, placing a hand on his arm. “You want to be my partner today?” yeonjun glared daggers at the motion. 

Soobin was stuck in a situation right now. He knows daehwi was just doing this to irk yeonjun and piss him off, but he also knows that daehwi probably needed a partner. He glanced at yeonjun and noticed the other boy looking really upset. 

“Sure,” soobin said with uncertainty. It was just exercise, so it should be fine, right?

Daehwi sighed, knowing why soobin was hesitating. “Look, im just trying to push his buttons. Im still mad at him for taking you away. I figured it would be easier if you partnered with someone you were more familiar with.” 

Soobin nodded. That made sense, and besides yeonjun and the others, daehwi is the only one he has really talked to on this retreat. 

“Ok! Now i would like to introduce you all to my favorite hyung! He graduated a few years ago from Big Hit University, and has come back to help us lead the retreat,” jimin said happily. Another person stepped forward waving at everyone. 

“Hello my name is kim seokjin and im going to be your freestyle dance teacher,” he laughed. It kind of sounded like a windshield wiper. Everyone gasped, all knowing exactly who seokjin was. He and namjoon were legends at the university. 

Soobin hesitantly looked over at yeonjun one more time, but yeonjun was facing away from him and helping his current partner Lee Minho stand up. A pang of jealousy stabbed soobin in the chest. This minho guy was absolutely gorgeous, and one hell of a dancer if soobin remembers correctly. He’s a fourth year student and already has a job as a backup dancer. 

Daehwi leaned over to soobin, whispering in his ear. “Dont worry about minho. I heard he’s totally head over heels in love with his boyfriend. Some guy named Han Jisung, second year rapper who also produces his own music.” 

Soobin relaxed a bit at that, but he still had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

**

The boys were currently playing soccer, dance majors against music majors. It was supposed to be a friendly game of competition, something to help let loose those strong feelings of pent up frustration. At least...that’s what jungkook told everyone. Soobin honestly would rather be lying on the floor of his cabin, reading or playing on his phone. 

He wiped his brow for what felt like the hundredth time, sucking in a gallon of air. Taehyun was right there with him. They decided to play as defenders for their goal, opting that this was the position that would have to run the least during the game. Even though taehyun used to play soccer and he’s quite good at it, it doesnt mean he likes the sport. 

Yeonjun on the other hand was relentless. He focused and immersed himself into the game, earning many goals for the dance majors. Soobin and the others have never seen him so serious, not in a long while. 

“What’s his problem?” beomgyu gasped next to taehyun and soobin even though he’s technically on the other team as a dance major. 

“Im not sure,” taehyun muttered, looking worriedly at yeonjun while reaching over to fix beomgyu’s messy hair. 

“He has barely spoken to any of us since this morning when we changed partners,” hueningkai pointed out. He was actually supposed to be a midfielder, but he didnt feel like running anymore. They all looked over at soobin, making him shrink back slightly. 

“What?” he defended himself. “Why are you all looking at me like that?” 

“Well, what's up with yeonjun?” taehyun asked him. 

Soobin blinked at him in confusion. “How should i know what’s wrong with yeonjun?”

“Uhm, because you two are always together? Yeonjun tells you everything,” beomgyu said it like it was a fact. 

Soobin leaned back surprised. _Were_ they always together? He’s barely noticed. He shook his head in slight denial. “Believe it or not, he doesnt tell me everything. And we arent always together,” he said to them. Hueningkai gave him a disbelieving look. 

“Well, try talking to him later for us. I hate seeing him so serious and dangerous looking,” hyuka asked soobin. 

“Yeah i cant believe im saying this, but i actually miss his stupid temper tantrums and childish behavior. He’s no fun when he’s competitive and ruthless,” beomgyu pouted. 

Then they had to run off because they got yelled at by jimin to at least try to play like they mean it. Needless to say, soobin watched yeonjun more closely, his worry building up more and more. 

“Incoming!” someone yelled, shouting across the field. “Taehyun watch out!” 

Taehyun blinked over at the voice, the sun in his eyes. “What?” he asked, but then it was too late. He looked up and was met with the soccer ball smacking him right in the nose. “Ow!” 

He knelt to the ground, holding his nose. When he took his hand off of it, blood was all over. 

“Oh shit! Taehyun are you okay? Taehyun?” soobin jogged over, crouching next to taehyun. Taehyun grabbed soobin's arm to help steady himself. Between the hot baking sun shining down on him all day, the extensive exercise since the morning, and now getting hit in the head with the soccer ball, he was starting to feel pretty dizzy. 

“Yeah im fine, just a bit light headed.” he then tilted his head up to help stop the bleeding. A small crowd was forming around them, yeonjun, hyuka, and beomgyu pushing themselves to the middle of it. 

“Taehyun oh my god!” hyuka yelled, worried for his friend. 

“Who was the asshole who kicked it right at his face?” beomgyu yelled at the others. 

Meanwhile, jimin pushed through, yelling instructions. “Someone get him to his room. I'm going to call the nurse to look at him. Meanwhile, i need ice and water, and some tissues…” his voice trailed off. 

Yeonjun stepped forward, crouching down in front of taehyun with his back facing him. “Come on taehyunnie, get on my back and ill take you to your cabin. There’s no way im going to let you walk all that way,” he said softly. Taehyun looked over at yeonjun, his eyes watering slightly at his gentle voice. 

“B-but hyung, ill get blood on your shirt,” he argued. 

Yeonjun scoffed. “Its fine. You know i dont give a damn about my shirt when someone i care about is hurt. Now quit your bitching and get on my back.” 

Beomgyu and soobin helped taehyun get on yeonjun’s back, taehyun trying his best not to get blood on his white tshirt and not succeeding. “Thanks hyung,” he mumbled, closing his eyes. Despite yeonjun’s foul mood he's been in, he still worried about him. And this is why taehyun and the others have always loved him as a friend. 

“Giddy giddy up,” taehyun started to sing as a joke. 

“Keep singing that and im gonna dump your ass in a ditch where no one can find the body,” yeonjun hissed over his shoulder, just quiet enough so nobody around could hear him. Taehyun chuckled, gripping onto yeonjun tighter so he wouldnt fall off. “And you need to start dieting, you are heavy as all hell,” he continued to bitch at the younger boy. 

“Ive been eating too much bread with soobin hyung,” taehyun argued back quietly, the slight jostle of yeonjun walking starting to make him sleepy. 

Everyone around them clapped for yeonjun, shouting out words of praise and how proud they are of him to step up and help out another without a second thought. 

Soobin, beomgyu, and hueningkai all watched yeonjun carry taehyun away like the knight in shining armor that he is. 

Soobin sighed, swiping his hand through his sweaty hair. “I dont know why yeonjun is so determined to hold a ‘princely’ image. He does it all by himself without even trying,” he muttered in an irritated tone. 

“Dammit jaemin, i _told_ you to ease up on your kicks! I know it was you who kicked that ball at taehyun’s pretty face!” beomgyu yelled out, stomping over at jaemin to chew him out. 

Soobin and hyuka both snapped their heads, looking at each other in confusion. 

“Did he just say…” soobin trailed off. 

Hyuka nodded. “Yes he did,” he said, while smiling evilly. 

**

Taehyun slept the entire afternoon, exhaustion and dizziness overtaking him. He finally woke up with a splitting headache and his nose feeling swollen and throbbing. He blinked around, trying to get his bearings straight. 

He remembered being carried away by yeonjun and placed in his bed. He was given some water and pain medicine while yeonjun got a cool cloth to help clean up the blood. Taehyun was too dizzy to shower the sweat and grime off of him, so yeonjun found a change of clothes for him (beomgyu's) and helped wipe him down a bit so that he could rest somewhat comfortably. Then the nurse came in, an alumni named doyoung who graduated a few years back. Once it was determined that taehyun’s nose wasnt broken, he was allowed to ice it and then try and get some rest. Yeonjun stayed with him until he fell asleep, only leaving because he needed to shower and get some dinner. 

Which brings us to taehyun staring up at his ceiling and looking around. His eyes focused immediately on the face next to his, dark eyes looking back at him with concern. He reached out to trace beomgyu’s face. 

“Hey,” beomgyu said quietly, smiling at taehyun and letting him trace his fingertips on his cheeks. 

“Am i in heaven?” taehyun asked, staring at beomgyu’s worried face. 

“Yes,” hyuka told him sarcastically. Taehyun looked over to see hyuka on the other side of the bed.

“Huh. didnt think i would see you here,” he retorted back to hyuka. Beomgyu started laughing at that while hyuka pouted. 

“How you feeling?” beomgyu asked, immediately helping taehyun when he tried to sit up in bed. 

“Fine, a bit groggy. My nose is killing me and i have a splitting headache. And im hungry,” taehyun complained cutely. Beomgyu chuckled at that. 

“Dont worry, we saved you some dinner thinking you would be starving. I even swiped some of the cookies for you,” hyuka told him, reaching over to fix his bedhead of hair. 

“How the hell did you get your hands on cookies?” beomgyu asked. 

“Ask me no questions, ill tell you no lies~” hyuka sang and then did aegyo. taehyun and beomgyu both ignored his cute self.

“Ouch, my nose feels like its taking over the world. Be honest with me, its way bigger than it normally is, isnt it?” taehyun asked them, his eyes watering slightly when he tried to scrunch up his face. 

“Only a little-” hyuka began, only to get punted in the shoulder by beomgyu. 

“Its swollen, but not that bad. And your nose isnt big. It’s one of the charming features on your face, along with your wide eyes and pretty lips,” beomgyu told him. 

Taehyun’s mouth parted slightly in shock, not sure he heard that correctly. Did beomgyu just call him pretty? He leaned over to hyuka, motioning for him to bend down so he can whisper into his ear. “Pinch me, i must be dreaming,” he said.

Hyuka laughed, pinching taehyun. “Ow!” 

“What? You said to pinch you.”

“It was a figure of speech!” 

“Guys? Was it something i said?” beomgyu asked, his eyes innocent and confused. 

“No,” taehyun squeaked. 

“Well, im going to get some more ice for your face,” hyuka told taehyun. Then he smirked. “Mostly for your nose, but maybe it will help cool down that blush you are starting to-oof!” 

Taehyun punched hyuka in the stomach to shut him up. 

“Wow, seems like your strength is coming back!” beomgyu said with a snicker. 

**

Yeonjun sighed, the irritation growing to dangerous levels inside him. He dragged his feet back towards his cabin, purposely staying late after dinner so that he could avoid soobin. He didnt even want to sit near the other boy, and forced hueningkai to sit in between them. It was awkward, and everyone could sense the tension between the two of them. 

And since soobin didnt have yeonjun on his other side, it left the spot open for other unwanted people. Like daehwi. And his friend renjun. 

So there yeonjun sat, in miserable silence while he grumpily ate his dinner. Really, he brought this upon himself so he had no right to get angry with soobin. Plus its not like he was soobin’s keeper. Soobin was allowed to talk and be friends with whoever he wanted. 

Now, we all know yeonjun is the jealous type, but he’s not completely unreasonable. He would never forbid soobin from being friends and hanging out with other people- he wasnt like those crazy girlfriends we all see on television. However, yeonjun was not comfortable with soobin hanging out with people that clearly want to steal him away from him. Like daehwi. And apparently renjun? 

But judging by the hateful glares soobin was receiving from jeno and jaemin over across the table, yeonjun can safely say that renjun was not a threat. For now. 

Once dinner was finished, yeonjun continued to ignore soobin, busying himself with talking to other dance majors, like felix and yunho. San and wooyoung of course were cooing over how cute jongho looked (even though he typically looked so intense like a gang member in yeonjun’s opinion) and pinching his cheeks and giving cute kisses to each other. They were like two mother hens, and for some reason their lovey-dovey act pissed yeonjun off to no end.

Yeonjun sighed, brushing his hair with his fingers as he watched soobin head back to their cabin, probably to take a shower and get ready for bed. He was being dumb, he knows this. But ever since soobin walked out of the trees with daehwi the other day, yeonjun has been in a foul mood. He knows its none of his business to ask or demand what happened between the two of them, but ever since then they have been super close and chummy. It makes yeonjun want to scrape his nails on a chalkboard. 

The possessiveness that was overtaking him was concerning, to say the least. Yeonjun has never cared for someone so seriously before, and he’s not quite sure how to deal with it. He glanced over at wooyoung and san, envious with what they have. 

He doesnt hate their cute public displays of affection. He never has. The real reason why he was so pissed whenever he saw them together was because he wants that too. He wants that freedom to express himself with another person. To show the world that he was happy. 

But he doesnt want that with just anyone. He wants it with soobin.

So mix together all of these feelings: jealousy, envy, anger, frustration, possessiveness, the L-word, and what do you get?

A very grumpy yeonjun, that’s what. 

He opened his cabin door, and shut it. Then he sighed. He knows soobin is not at fault, but his rational side of the brain refused to work. He was mad at soobin, and he was about to explode. 

So of course, when soobin walks out of the bathroom looking like  _ that, _ you can surely understand where yeonjun was coming from, right? Who wouldnt want to keep this tall and sexy boy for himself? Daehwi certainly feels the same. yeonjun would admit at least that little snake had good taste. 

Soobin walked out of the bathroom, having just showered. He was shirtless, only wearing a pair of sweats and toweling off his hair. When he was done, he shook his hair out, making the black strands messy and wet and...oh god. Yeonjun was going to hyperventilate. 

“Didnt know you had abs,” yeonjun squeaked out, his anger momentarily forgotten. 

Soobin looked up, a bit startled at hearing yeonjun’s voice after not talking to him for almost a day and a half. 

“Uhhh…” was all he said. 

“I thought you hated exercise,” yeonjun said in an attacking tone while trailing his eyes up and down soobin’s body. Soobin always wore extremely baggy clothes, and nerdy clothes, and so yeonjun would have never guessed what was underneath. He didnt care either way, because he L-worded soobin since long ago, but now...now the rules have changed. Yeonjun was going to go feral if he didnt have his hands on soobin right this instant. He curled his fingers into fists at his sides, trying not to lose his mind and push his body up against soobin’s. He was still mad at him. 

“I do hate exercise. But despite how much i wish to be curled into my blankets 25/8, that would have gotten me nowhere. I made a promise to myself in first year that i was going to try twice-no three times-as hard to do well in this university. So i worked out, and well...yeah,” soobin explained, a bit confused where they were going with this. Yeonjun looked like he was about to combust and punch him or something. 

“Is there….a problem with that? Or with us in general?” soobin asked carefully. That seemed to snap yeonjun out of his lust-filled haze. 

Yeonjun took a step towards soobin, anger written clear as day on his face. Soobin tensed up at the aggressive move, but did not back down. Many others may be scared of yeonjun and his cold demeanor, but soobin never was. 

“Actually, i have a huge problem with you. And dont think your sexy abs is enough to distract me,” yeonjun spat out.

Somehow, yeonjun’s childish and irrational behavior has made soobin slightly annoyed too.

Ignoring the comment about his abs (really, what does that have to do with anything?) soobin also took a step towards yeonjun, looming over him. Yeonjun glared up into his eyes. 

“Well, what the hell is your problem lately? We are supposed to be convincing people we are dating, not the other way around,” soobin slightly raised his voice.

“Please,” yeonjun scoffed, folding his arms over his chest. “I should be the one saying that to you. What are people going to think once they realized you snuck off with daehwi into the trees like two star crossed lovers in the middle of the night?” 

Soobin was taken aback by that statement. So  _ that’s _ why he’s been upset? Because he thought he was secretly meeting daehwi and fooling around behind his back? 

Now soobin was _really_ pissed. How dare yeonjun think he would ever cheat! Even if they werent really dating! He curled his upper lip at yeonjun, getting in his face. 

“It meant nothing!” he defended himself. “Daehwi just wanted to talk to me about something.” soobin wasnt a mean person. He wasnt going to spout all of daehwi’s secrets to yeonjun just because yeonjun has got a stick up his ass. 

“Oh bullshit. I know that little snake has been making moves on you ever since he found out we were dating. This kind of stuff I expect from him, but what I want to know is why the fuck you thought it was a good idea to go galloping in the fields right along with him?” yeonjun laughed bitterly.

“I was just being nice! Really, nothing happened!” soobin tried to emphasize. Argh! Why was yeonjun being so difficult?! 

“And how the hell am I supposed to believe that?” yeonjun also had a good point. To an outsider, it did look like soobin was secretly meeting the other boy to do god knows what with him.

Now the dam was broken. Soobin gritted his teeth, staring into yeonjun’s eyes with heated anger. “Well what am  _ I _ supposed to think when you go and run off helping out Minho, or jongho, or anyone else in this god damn University? Huh? I don't go around getting all up in your business about them, now do I? Have a little more respect for me!” 

Yeonjun pouted at this. “That's different! Everyone expects that of me because I'm the top student in our year! I'm just helping them. It's not like I  _ want _ to do it!” 

“So you are helping them kind of like how you helped me in first year? Let's be honest here yeonjun. You don't care about me, not really. And you never have. We are all just charity cases to you, myself included,” soobin spat out harshly. 

There. He said it- what he truly thinks deep down at the bottom of his heart. What he has always feared to be true since he met yeonjun.

Yeonjun’s eyes widened, his anger starting to sizzle out. “That's not true-” yeonjun began to defend himself. 

Soobin stepped even closer so that they were now only a few inches apart. He poked a finger accusingly into yeonjun’s chest. “And technically we aren't even dating. Which means it's none of your god damn business who I meet up with behind the trees like some shady drug deal. Okay? Do you got it?” he growled out. 

Ok, yeonjun’s anger was now back. “First of all, what the fuck is _ that _ supposed to mean? I swear to God if daehwi so much as came within a  _ millimeter _ of you, I will personally lock him up in the bathroom and shave all of his hair off, then make a wig out of it, place it back on his head, and snatch the wig off so that he will forever live as the boy who got his wig snatched,” yeonjun started to rant, ignoring soobin’s finger that was still stabbed into his sternum. 

Soobin blinked at him, at a loss for words. “What the hell even is that-”

“And second of all,” yeonjun continued. “You have never been a charity case to me. Not then, not now. I helped you out in first year because I wanted to. I couldn't give two shits to those other dumbfucks we call classmates. If anyone was going to have their hands all over you, it was going to be  _ me! _ ” he yelled. 

Soobin’s whole body lit on fire at that statement. But whether it was from anger or lust, he wasn't sure. Maybe it was both. 

He decided to counter attack. “Then why the hell did you say all that shit to San?!” 

“I say a lot of shit to San, so you are going to have to be more clear, sweetheart!”

“You said that I was pretty much hopeless and that I wouldn't make it at this hellhole we call school. You told him that trying my best is all the best I can do, but even that wouldn't be enough! You said that, when I thought we could've been friends!” soobin was visibly upset now, his face crumpling at that last statement. He finally admitted what has been bothering him for years. 

Yeonjun leaned back, shock all over his face. 

Soobin stepped even closer, his fist clutching into yeonjun’s shirt. He bent down slightly so that they were eye to eye, their breath hitting each other’s faces, their lips so close. 

“I spent day and night, having those words haunt me. I know it’s stupid to let someone else’s words affect me like this, but they werent just _anybody’s_ words. They were _your_ words . And all that time, your two-faced self pretended to be nice to me, telling me I was getting better, while you were probably laughing at me behind my back. Well guess what  _ Choi fucking Yeonjun. _ I'm still here. I'm still here, doing pretty well might I add, and there's nothing that can get in my way. Not your fucking pretty face, not your stupid ass voice, and certainly not your sexy as all hell dancing. You hear me?”

Soobin panted, his rant over. “Got nothing to say?!” he taunted the other boy.

Yeonjun licked his lips. “Yes I have nothing to say. My thoughts are swirling all over the place! You can't just drop a mcfucking bombshell like that and expect me to gather my wits. Plus you look extremely fucking hot yelling at me like that while being shirtless and I'm like this close to jumping your bones.”

Soobin also licked his lips, looking down at yeonjun’s. Yeonjun didn't miss it. 

“Plus I'm pissed off,” yeonjun rasped out. 

“Why, because I'm right?” Soobin smirked. 

“No, yes, but mostly no! Arrgh!!” He gripped soobin’s arms, trying to hold on and keep himself from giving in to his wants. He sucked in a breath, and soobin leaned in closer just to agonize him even more.

“Now listen here Choi soobin, and listen closely. Yes, I said those things to San that day, and I think it's pretty stalkerish of you to be creeping around dark corners listening to other people's conversations. But I fucking  _ lied, _ okay! It's what I do! I god damn lied to San like the piece of shit that I already know i am!” he yelled out while still looking into soobin’s eyes with heat and desperation.

Soobin wanted to lean back, but yeonjun wouldnt let him. “What? You lied?”

“Yes, I lied to him! He was teasing me, and I panicked. I had to be number one in our grade. I _have_ to be number one or my god damn mother is packing me up and shipping me off to the Americas or wherever she wants. And she told me I wasn't allowed to have distractions. You hear me? And what could be a worse distraction than a cute as all hell boy with glasses dark hair and dimples, smiling at me like I'm the god damn second coming of Jesus fucking Christ? You were more than a distraction, you were a god damn curse sent down to wrap your hand around my heart and just rip it out for you to keep. So I fucking panicked and avoided my feelings and avoided you. I tried to forget about you.” 

Now soobin was even more confused and had no idea what to say. “Tried?” was all he squeaked out. 

Yeonjun huffed, his breath hitting soobin’s lips. Really, they were way too close for this to be a casual fight. “Yes, I tried. I blocked you out of my mind, I blocked you out of my life. And I was doing great, kinda. But then you have to go stomping through my carefully planned life, all confident and sexy now, and messing with my head. Honestly, I don't know where all this jealousy and possessiveness within me comes from. This is as much of a surprise to me as it is to you.”

Soobin snorted at this despite the seriousness of their situation. “Somehow I don't think this is a new thing for you.” 

“Don't mouth back to me right now soobin! And now, to this day, you are still ruining my plans! We are supposed to convince everybody we are dating just to win the election, but it's seriously so hard not to kiss you every second of the day!” yeonjun hissed out. 

“Well let me help you out with that,” soobin quietly said with his deep voice.

"what?" was all yeonjun managed to say before he could talk no more.  They both collided within that small space at the same time. Whoever leaned forward first, there was no way to tell. 

Soobin was starved, wanting yeonjun for too long to be able to stop himself now. He kept leaning more and more into him, his hands sliding down on each side of yeonjun and then slowly slipping under his tshirt. He rubbed gentle circles into yeonjun’s skin, his touch searing and making the older boy gasp out against his lips. Soobin smirked into the kiss, tightening his grip on yeonjun’s waist and pushing his body into him even more and more to the point that yeonjun’s body was bending backwards slightly to keep up. Soobin kept his arms firm around his waist and slowly stepped forward. 

Yeonjun stepped backwards, and they walked like that until yeonjun’s back hit the nearest wall with a thud. Yeonjun slid his hands under soobin’s arms and around his bare back, his fingertips greedy to touch everywhere they could. His lips were sore and most likely bruised, but he didnt mind it. Soobin was being especially harsh, scraping his teeth on his bottom lip and sucking, making yeonjun’s knees go weak. 

Soobin pressed into him even more, his bare skin so warm that yeonjun could feel it through his flimsy shirt. They both were running out of air, but still yeonjun didnt want it to stop. His lips melded to soobin’s over and over. Soobin was the first to break apart, his breath hitting yeonjun’s lips and his heart racing a mile a minute. Both of their faces were flushed. Yeonjun leaned forward, tracing his lips down soobin’s jaw and onto his neck before reaching the curve to his collarbone. Soobin swallowed, closing his eyes and relishing in the feel of yeonjun’s lips and tongue on him. Yeonjun’s hands continued to wander, claiming every inch of soobin for himself. He brought them around to the front of soobin’s waist, smoothing his palms over soobin’s abdomen. 

Soobin’s eyes were still closed, his muscles tensing every time yeonjun touched him. He snorted when he realized yeonjun was copping a feel. “Just cant help yourself, can you?” he smirked, but then almost moaning when yeonjun sucked a bit harshly on his collarbone. 

“Mmm, you taste good,” yeonjun hummed into his skin, his tongue swirling down his chest. It was driving soobin mad. With strength yeonjun had no idea he possessed, soobin gripped yeonjun’s thighs and brought them around his waist so that he could properly kiss him again. Yeonjun giggled while wrapping his legs securely around him, but then was cut off by soobin’s lips back on his, this time parting them with his own full lips. Soobin slipped his tongue in and started swirling it around slowly, exploring and taking his time. Yeonjun let him, his own tongue meeting him and his hands burying themselves into soobin’s damp hair. Soobin tasted slightly like mint, probably from brushing his teeth while he was in the bathroom earlier. If soobin wasnt making him feel so good at the moment, yeonjun would have been slightly self-conscious about the fact that he was still sweaty from the long day they had. Not that soobin seemed to mind. 

“This needs to come off,” soobin muttered against yeonjun’s lips, wedging his hand inbetween their bodies and tugging at yeonjun’s tshirt. 

“Say no more,” yeonjun laughed, letting soobin grip the edges of his shirt and starting to slide it up. Yeonjun was beyond excited. Finally he gets soobin all to himself. He’s been secretly waiting for this moment for a very long time. His stomach was churning with anticipation and need. 

His shirt hit the floor and then soobin’s lips were back on his, this time yeonjun slipping his tongue in and taking the lead. They both were burning up, their skin on fire and their breathing erratic. Soobin reached down and gripped the waist band of yeonjun’s sports pants tugging it so that their hips aligned. Yeonjun moaned at that. 

“Yeonjun, i need you right n-” soobin began to plead when suddenly someone knocked on their cabin door. 

“Hey guys? I was wondering if you had any extra towels? Taehyun needed to wrap some ice in it for his nose and-” hueningkai said through the door outside. 

Soobin sighed, letting go of yeonjun and trying not to gasp at the feel of yeonjun sliding down his body slowly so that he was back on his own two feet. Yeonjun felt slightly disoriented, but not enough to glare at the door. Or more specifically, the person behind the door.

He brought his hand up, beginning to crack his knuckles. He licked his lips, still able to taste soobin on them. “Im going to kill him-” yeonjun began to march towards the door. 

Soobin just barely managed to catch him, wrapping an arm around his bare waist and pulling him into his chest. “Not so fast yeonjun. First, beating hyuka up is not the answer. Second, you and i are both half naked and have swollen lips and uh...you werent exactly gentle on my collarbone and chest there. Im sure if i look in the mirror right now, im going to find many marks that i now have to hide.”

Yeonjun turned in soobin’s grip, his swollen red lips pouting. “Let’s get rid of him quickly so that i can get back to making out with you.”

“Deal,” soobin nodded. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are starting to come together finally. I don't intend on writing any angst, but a few misunderstandings here and there are fine :)
> 
> also, do you guys think beomgyu is really as naïve and stupid about taehyun's feelings as everyone thinks he is? >:)


	7. Chapter Seven

Taehyun was upset. At first he didnt realize it, but the more the second week of their retreat went on, the more agitated he felt. It was a small bubble of discomfort that slowly grew into a huge ugly and twisted thing.

And beomgyu was the cause. 

It began when taehyung and jungkook announced that they were going to split up partners again, in order to get a variety of ideas and different inspiration from each other. Taehyun can understand that, and it didnt bother him in the slightest. He almost laughed when he noticed yeonjun causing a ruckus about being away from soobin again. Poor seungmin is stuck with that spitfire for a solid week. 

“But you said that the person we room with is going to be our partners for the entire retreat!” yeonjun argued childishly. "you lied!"

“You can survive without your boyfriend for a few days,” jungkook sighed, ignoring the rest of yeonjun’s complaints. Soobin chuckled at the pouty look yeonjun was sporting because he couldnt get his way, and then leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the lips when no one was really looking. 

The project was to come up with a quick three minute performance with your partner, nothing super extensive. It could literally be anything, and most people already have a general idea of what they want to do. Taehyun was paired with a dancer named felix, and soobin was with san, hueningkai was with chan, and beomgyu was with jeongin. 

They were all mingling around, talking and getting to know each other better. Taehyun couldnt take his eyes off beomgyu as he smiled and went in to hug jeongin (because that’s just how friendly beomgyu was). Felix giggled behind his hand when he tried and failed to get taehyun’s full attention. 

“You must like him a lot,” felix said, his voice a lot deeper than taehyun would have guessed from just looking at the fluffy and doll-like dancer. 

“Yeah,” taehyun sighed, not denying it. He wasnt a liar, and it’s not like he completely hides his feelings. In fact, he’s been flirting with beomgyu (in his own weird way) for months now, but that boy was just too stupid to realize it and take the hint. 

“He wants to be a producer, right?” felix asked curiously.

Taehyun’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Yeah, how did you know?”

“He has a few classes with binnie, so i see him around sometimes,” felix laughed lightly. 

“Binnie?” taehyun asked. 

“Oh!” felix exclaimed. “Changbin is my boyfriend. He’s also a music producer with chan and jisung. They go by 3racha around campus, in case you have heard of some of their songs. People think my binnie is super gruff and mean because he has a resting bitch face, but he is actually the most adorable and loveable boy,” felix giggled again. “Beomgyu was one of the few people super nice to binnie when they first met, so his name kind of stuck.”

Taehyun smiled at that. “Beomgyu is always like that. That’s why everyone loves him now. He’s so far away from me,” he said almost depressingly. 

Felix frowned cutely. “Aw, dont think like that! I see you two hang out a lot, so you must be very close! Binnie said he loves beomgyu’s voice when he hears him sing on occasion. Its not as great as my voice, of course, but the producer side of changbin said he couldnt wait to hear a song from beomgyu one day. He still has to release one.”

“Yeah, he keeps all his songs and ideas locked up pretty well. I havent heard a single one yet,” taehyun replied back. Felix was super easy to talk to, and it didnt make him feel uncomfortable. 

“Did you know that beomgyu has a somewhat romantic side to him?” felix laughed. “He told changbin once that he plans for his very first song he composes to be sung by someone he loves, that’s why he hasnt released anything yet. As far as we know, he hasnt finished a song yet. Changbin was so jealous that he didnt come up with something beautiful like that, and came home whining to me that day, saying he was so sorry that his first song wasnt sung by me. He grumbled for hours about how his first song was actually a collaboration between he, chan, and jisung called ‘Wow’ and he was so embarrassed by it that he refuses to let me listen to it.” 

“Did you though?” taehyun asked, curious despite himself. 

Felix grinned at him with an impish smile. “Of course i did. Who do you think i am? Minho and i snuck in and had a listen. We laughed for a solid ten minutes, and he hasnt let jisung live down his iconic “excuse me noona, do you have a boyfriend?” part for months."

Taehyun felt a bit of warmth from their conversation. He didnt know beomgyu was waiting to release a song just so that he could have the person he loves sing the first one. That was so endearing, and it made taehyun fall a little bit harder for the older boy. 

The rest of the day went pretty casual after that. He and felix had some decent ideas for their project they have to perform together by the beginning of next week. Soobin and san decided to do a dance piece (much to soobin’s dismay), yeonjun and seungmin realized they have similar personalities, and so they have been conspiring in a corner while working on their project (it turns out hyunjin is quite popular among the people in the drama club, and so seungmin asked for yeonjun’s expertise on how to sabotage anyone wanting to get close to the pretty boy. Yeonjun was happy to comply). Hueningkai has been unofficially adopted by chan (honestly, one smile with that cute boyish charm of his and chan was a goner), and beomgyu was laughing joyfully with jeongin. They both have positive personalities, so taehyun could see why they got along rather quickly. Plus they both like to pick on hueningkai whenever they got the chance since they are both older than him. 

So taehyun was in a pretty decent mood all day long, and he was counting down the hours until he could go back to his cabin and share his day with beomgyu. Beomgyu loved to talk nonstop whenever he’s excited, and taehyun loved to listen and watch him. Getting paired up with him as a roommate was the best thing that ever happened to taehyun. 

“...and then i told him i would help him compose a song for the two of us for our project next week,” beomgyu finished telling taehyun happily, kicking his feet off the edge of his bed while taehyun was washing his face at the sink. 

Taehyun paused, a dreadful feeling taking over his body. “What?” he said quietly. 

“Yeah! I figured it would be so fun! And jeongin has a pretty good voice. A bit high key from what im used to, but i can make it work. We are going to make it completely original,” beomgyu grinned over at taehyun, oblivious to the inner turmoil slowly taking over taehyun’s body. 

Taehyun finished his face and walked back to his bed adjacent to beomgyu’s. He sat down on it, not looking at the other boy. “But you’ve never released a song written by you before. Are you sure you want it to be for this project?” he mumbled. 

Beomgyu tilted his head in confusion, his silver earrings brushing his shoulder. “Yeah why wouldnt i? Plus its not really  _ my _ song, you know? Jeongin is going to take part in half as well, so its kind of...our song i guess?” he tapped his chin, thinking about it. 

Well that just made things a hundred times worse. If what felix said earlier was true, it could mean beomgyu liked jeongin. And honestly? Who wouldnt? Even taehyun liked him. He was super nice, super friendly, always smiling, so good hearted, and works diligently. All in all, he was the complete opposite of taehyun (minus the working hard part. You dont get accepted into big hit university for being lazy). Taehyun was...well, different. He liked to tease people, he was stand offish, he didnt smile or laugh often, and he didnt have the cute boyish charms that jeongin possessed. 

“So what are you and felix doing?” beomgyu asked, curiosity in his eyes. 

Taehyun cant do this right now. He’s not used to feeling so crushed before. It was an uncomfortable sensation that left him feeling like he couldnt breathe. 

He finds that he hates this feeling. 

So he does what he does best. He deflects, and if something upsets him, he simply eliminates the thing that makes him feel like this out of his life so he doesnt have to feel it anymore. 

“We got a couple ideas going, but i think we are settling for both singing and dancing to something. Felix has a surprisingly beautiful low singing voice, and i think i can compensate and harmonize well with him,” he told beomgyu matter-of-factly. 

Something flashed in beomgyu’s eyes, but taehyun was too busy wallowing in self pity to notice it. 

“Ah, that’s good. I thought felix was a rapper though?” 

Taehyun nodded. “Yeah, but his boyfriend changbin has been teaching him how to sing too, so he wants to surprise our sunbaes with it. They all are probably expecting him to rap.” 

A few minutes later, taehyun was neatly tucked into bed with his back to beomgyu, despite knowing beomgyu probably has at least another hour of pent up talking to do. Usually taehyun would more than willing stay up late and just talk to beomgyu, listen to him tell him everything and anything that was on his mind. He found that these late nights were one of his favorite things because it meant beomgyu would rather open up and talk to him than someone else. 

In a way that made taehyun feel special. Taehyun wasnt ever special to anyone before. (yeonjun doesnt count-it was a different special with him) but apparently he was wrong. Maybe it was just the fact that taehyun was always readily available whenever beomgyu needed him, so it was convenient for him to hang out with taehyun? 

In a way, that made taehyun feel more pathetic. 

So when taehyun abruptly went to bed, he didnt once think that beomgyu would find it weird he wasn’t spending time with him.

**

It continued like this the rest of the week. It was easy for taehyun to ignore beomgyu and keep him at a distance since he was partnered with felix. Then they exercised, and then they ate dinner and went to bed. 

Well, taehyun went to bed. 

Now, taehyun wasnt completely rude to beomgyu. He still answered the other boy’s questions whenever beomgyu managed to corner him into a conversation. But that was just it. He answered them and then moved on. 

He’s fine with this. In fact, he’s a pro at it. This is what he did his whole life in school. Always kept a distance, always there but not really. Everybody knew who he was, but they didnt  _ know  _ him. In fact, if you asked someone what he liked to do, they would begin to answer, but then stop and think about it, not knowing what to say. 

The only one who was selfish enough to badger taehyun into being his friend was yeonjun. And well, that was more on yeonjun’s effort than taehyun’s. Which then extended to soobin, and hueningkai, and then beomgyu. 

So you can understand some of what taehyun is feeling when he glances over and sees beomgyu strumming on a guitar while jeongin plays the piano, a song in the works. Beomgyu looks so overjoyed whenever jeongin starts to sing a verse of  _ their _ song. 

Music was everything to taehyun. It was what kept him company during the day when he was alone, and calmed his swimming thoughts at night so he could sleep. It kept him sane. 

So when he heard that beomgyu was saving his first composed song for someone special, that called to taehyun. He respected beomgyu in a new light. Still does. But that also brought reality crashing down on him. It was about time beomgyu found someone he likes, and he knows for a fact its not himself. He just got so used to spending all his time with beomgyu and the others that he kind of built a safety net around his heart. He didnt think this happy feeling would ever end. He started to enjoy school, enjoy what he’s doing a little bit more, enjoy hanging out with them. 

But of course, all good things must come to an end, right? 

The most taehyun can hope for is beomgyu will still hang out with him from time to time, just the two of them without a boyfriend getting in the way. He expects the late night talks to end, getting dragged everywhere across campus because beomgyu was hyper and taehyun was hopelessly in love with him to end, the teasing and bantering back and forth to end (beomgyu may be an idiot, but he knew how to argue, always keeping taehyun on his toes). 

Thinking like this made taehyun feel even more depressed, so much so that felix began to notice. 

“Hey, everything alright?” felix asked, sincere worry on his face. This boy was just too nice for his own good. Taehyun secretly hopes changbin takes good care of him, because felix is the type of person people may try to take advantage of if he wasnt careful. 

Taehyun sighed. He knows he's being stupid. “Yeah, im fine. Just going through some self doubt, that’s all.”

“Wanna talk about it?” felix prodded gently. “I dont really feel like working on this today anyways.”

Taehyun frowned. He’s not used to confiding in others (besides yeonjun and soobin), but what the hell? Why not? “You think anyone will ever _like_ like me?” taehyun asked, bluntly. 

That was a loaded question he hauled over at felix, but the other boy just blinked cutely for a second, and smiled. He handled it like a pro. “Of course i do! You are so cute, anyone would be lucky to have you.”

Taehyun snorted. Him? Cute? He supposes felix’s opinion doesnt count. Taehyun has seen pictures of felix’s boyfriend changbin, and let’s just say he wasnt exaggerating when he said that people find changbin scary and intimidating. And then he called changbin the cutest in the world, so taehyun was starting to believe that felix was either really messed up in the head or had a misconstrued idea of what ‘cute’ is supposed to be. 

“No, i meant it! You are so genuine, and its refreshing. I can now see why yeonjun has been friends with you for so long.” 

Taehyun raised his brows in surprise at that. “How’d you know about that?” 

Felix grinned. “Yeonjun is not as subtle as he thinks he is. Sure, he fooled the majority of the student body this whole time into thinking he is a prince or something, but i could always see it. I always thought his temper tantrums and grumbling during dance practice was cute!” 

Again, taehyun thought this boy was nuts. 

“He’s obviously friends with you because you arent like the others. Its all about quality, not quantity!” felix giggled. 

Taehyun smiled at felix, not being able to help himself. This boy might be an air head most of the time, but he was extremely observant and intelligent. Changbin is really lucky to have someone like this in his life. 

That gave taehyun some hope. If someone as scary and misunderstood as changbin was able to find someone who saw past what others see, then maybe taehyun could too. 

**

Yeonjun sighed, getting out of the bathroom and drying his hair with a towel. Soobin was reading on his bed, back against the wall and legs sprawled out. He smiled at the sight, then skipped over and knocked the book (gently) out of soobin’s hands. 

Soobin startled a little at that, looking up at yeonjun with a questioning face. Yeonjun climbed on top of the bed and straddled soobin, tucking himself in and humming in content when soobin wrapped his arms around yeonjun to keep him closer. Soobin was warm, and smelled good, and made yeonjun feel safe. 

Ever since their fight(?), they have been joined at the hip, and still that wasnt close enough for yeonjun. 

“How’s working with san?” yeonjun asked, his voice muffled in soobin’s shirt. 

“A nightmare. He’s relentless when it comes to his projects, and he’s so freaking energetic. I hate it.”

Yeonjun frowned. “But im the same way as san. Does that mean you hated being with me too?” he pouted, glancing up at yeonjun. 

Soobin snorted. “Of course not.”

“Does that mean you like dancing now? Because of me?” yeonjun grinned. 

“No,” soobin didnt hesitate to answer. Yeonjun’s grin dropped at that. “I liked dancing with you because one, you’re hot as fuck. Who wouldnt want to sit there and watch you swing those hips and...yeah,” soobin cleared his throat. “Two, you were hilarious every time you lost your temper in the practice rooms, so i was always entertained. Three, every time you noticed a mistake i made, you came over and touched me to correct it.” soobin’s voice got quieter, and yeonjun held his breath, caught up on every word. “Sometimes i would make a subtle mistake on purpose, just so that i could have your hands on me a little longer. Oh god, that sounds totally creepy,” soobin whined, bending down to hide his face in yeonjun’s shoulder. 

Yeonjun was stunned, to say the least. He had no idea the feeling was mutual all this time. 

He grinned evilly. 

“And now? How does it make you feel when i have my hands on you now?” yeonjun asked, his voice husky. He moved slightly and forced soobin to look at him, noticing a slight blush on his face. Then he pressed his hands onto soobin’s chest, pushing him back against the wall and leaning closer to soobin. Yeonjun could feel soobin’s heart beating heavily in his chest, but so was yeonjun’s. 

Yeonjun wrapped his legs around soobin’s waist and then slid his hand up his neck and into his hair. 

“It makes me feel breathless,” soobin whispered, his lips forming that cute pout every time he talked. Yeonjun didnt hesitate to kiss him, his nose pressing hard into soobin’s face, that’s how close he needed to be. Soobin made a noise in the back of his throat, his head bumping against the wall at the intensity of yeonjun's kiss. Yeonjun licked into his mouth, his other hand finding itself tangled into soobin’s hair as well. 

He broke the kiss panting and gasping in gulps of air. He smirked noticing soobin’s hair all messy now. “Bet san cant make you feel like that, or anybody else for that matter.”

Then he realized what he said, his smirk leaving his face. “Wait, shit no, that sounded weird.”

Soobin licked his swollen lips, snorting again. “Ew hyung. I would never want san to make me feel like that. You know how gross he is for wooyoung.”

Yeonjun playfully hit soobin’s shoulder. “You know what i meant!” 

Yeonjun decided to make himself more comfortable again, curling into soobin like a cat. He rested his head on soobin’s shoulder while soobin gently ran his fingers through yeonjun’s hair. It was a comfortable silence, both of them lost in thought. 

Yeonjun was the first to speak up again. “Have you noticed something off about taehyun?” 

Soobin stilled his hand, his fingers never leaving yeonjun’s hair. The roots were starting to grow out, leaving black mixed with his blue. He would need to dye it again soon. 

“Yeah,” soobin said softly. “I thought it was just me imagining things though.” 

Yeonjun traced light pictures with his finger into soobin’s shirt. “I wonder what happened? Taehyun isnt usually like this. He hasnt been so distant in a very long time. Not since the day i met him, actually.”

“You think we should talk to him?” soobin wondered. Yeonjun has known taehyun longer than any of them. “Or maybe get beomgyu to talk to him?” 

Yeonjun bit his bottom lip, debating back and forth. “Maybe we should ask beomgyu if he knows anything first, and then talk to taehyun. Surely beomgyu would know what is going on, right? That kid can read taehyun like a book, even better than i can. It took me months to be able to understand how taehyun thinks.” 

Soobin nodded. “Same. beomgyu was actually the one who helped me befriend taehyun. He noticed him sitting alone his first week here and pointed it out. I went over there and made taehyun come sit with us.” 

Yeonjun frowned. “I must have been at dance practice then. Usually he sits with me.” then he nodded. “Yeah lets go ask beomgyu or hueningkai tomorrow before assuming anything.” 

**

“Yo, what’s wrong with taehyun?” yeonjun asked beomgyu, stretching with him today. Soobin was with hueningkai for a partner in order for yeonjun to talk to beomgyu. Usually beomgyu is partnered with taehyun, so they definitely think something is up when taehyun was across the room with someone else. 

Beomgyu widened his eyes. “I dont know what you mean..” he trailed off. 

Yeonjun gave him a ‘bullshit’ face, glaring at beomgyu and making him feel small. Beomgyu sighed, cutting the act and running a hand through his black hair. “Ok, i noticed it too. And i have no idea, honest. He refuses to talk to me more than what is necessary, and he avoids me like the plague. Obviously something is up.” beomgyu chuckled. “He’s not subtle at all.” 

“Well did you bring it up to him directly?” yeonjun asked, pressing on beomgyu’s back gently to loosen the muscles. 

“I tried, but every time i coax him into saying something, he shuts me down. This is the first time i’ve seen him like this,” beomgyu whined. 

Yeonjun didnt say anything, not knowing what taehyun’s problem is. If taehyun didnt talk to beomgyu, then maybe beomgyu is the problem. He will have to get to the bottom of this on his own. 

**

So that’s what soobin, yeonjun, and hueningkai did. They observed taehyun and beomgyu closely, trying to see something the others couldnt. 

After a day of absolutely nothing out of the ordinary, yeonjun slumped against a table on his arms. “I dont get it, he’s perfectly fine. Only he is slightly cold to beomgyu.” 

Soobin hummed in agreement, watching taehyun work on his project with felix. Beomgyu was over on the other side of the room, laughing and playing his guitar with jeongin. Honestly, it was nothing out of the ordinary because beomgyu and taehyun always act like this. 

Jeongin started playing the piano, and beomgyu gasped cutely, getting up and leaning over the other boy’s shoulder to point out a few notes he should play. Soobin strummed his fingers on the table, his lips pouting in thought. 

“Maybe he’s jealous?” yeonjun spoke up, almost as if he could read soobin’s thoughts. 

“I thought that too, but he’s never been so bothered by other people hanging out with beomgyu before. I mean, sure he got irritated that everyone eyed up beomgyu and fawned over him like a piece of candy, but not jealous to the point of ignoring beomgyu like this. He knows its not beomgyu’s fault that people think he’s pretty. Taehyun isnt petty like that.” 

Yeonjun nodded in agreement. “Ok, so not jealousy. Envy then? Maybe he wants to be more like beomgyu? Being super personable and having people like him without much effort.”

Soobin considered it. Then shook his head. “No i dont think that would be it. Taehyun has always admired the fact that beomgyu was so likeable by everyone. I dont see why he would be envious of him.” 

Yeonjun groaned in impatience. “Then what the hell? Did he just wake up one day and be like ‘damn, im never gonna be good enough for beomgyu so i might as well stop liking him’ or something dumb like that? There’s no way taehyun would be that stupid. That’s something i would do and-”

“That could be it,” soobin said quietly. He didnt fail to notice the ending of yeonjun’s rant, but that is a discussion for another day. 

“What?” yeonjun said, glancing at soobin. 

“Come on, yeonjunnie. You honestly dont think it bothers taehyun how unsociable he is? He cant change the way he is, but that doesnt mean sometimes he wont get down in the dumps over it. We all have had those kind of days.”

Yeonjun frowned, sitting up. “Yeah i can kind of see your point. Well, he shouldnt be thinking like that!”

“The only one who could really cheer him up is probably beomgyu. And maybe hueningkai because he’s adorable, but definitely beomgyu.”

“Well then, lets go have an intervention with the little shit,” yeonjun said, getting up to stomp over to beomgyu. For once, soobin didnt stop him and instead joined him. 

**

“Hey jeongin, i bet seungmin would like a second ear on how his singing is doing. You mind going and checking on him?” yeonjun smiled sweetly at the younger boy. he totally knew that seungmin has a soft spot for jeongin in the same way they do for hueningkai. Jeongin grinned happily.

“Sure hyung! You want to continue tomorrow?” jeongin asked beomgyu, already halfway up from his seat at the piano. 

Beomgyu glanced at yeonjun and soobin, but then smiled back at jeongin. “Not a problem. See you around.” and then waited until jeongin skipped cutely away to go and see seungmin. 

Then he looked back at yeonjun and soobin with a frown. “Ok, what’s up with you two? You guys have never tag teamed me before. Am i in trouble?” beomgyu caught on quite fast. 

“No not at all-” soobin began to say at the same time yeonjun said

“Yes.” 

“Aww what did i do? I swear i didnt know about hyuka stealing the cupcakes until  _ after _ i already ate one,” he said.

“Wait, there were cupcakes and you didnt tell me-” yeonjun began, but soobin cut him off. 

“That’s not why we are here. Its about taehyun.”

Yeonjun focused again. “Right. Taehyun feels sad and you gotta go fix it.” 

Beomgyu blinked at them innocently, tilting his head to the side. “Taehyun’s sad?” 

Yeonjun scoffed. “Dont play dumb. You know taehyun better than any of us, myself included. I know for a fact you’ve noticed long ago the change in taehyun's mood. So quit acting like the dumb blonde we all believe you to be, and go. fix. taehyun.” 

“Yeonjun has got a point,” soobin spoke up gently, an idea forming inside his head. “You  _ do _ know taehyun better than any of us. You always have. You were the first to notice taehyun all those months ago sitting alone, you’re the first to notice when taehyun changes moods, you’re the first to notice when taehyun dislikes something, and especially the first to notice when he loves something, without him having to even say it...” 

Soobin leaned into beomgyu’s face, studying it closely with a serious look for a few seconds. Beomgyu leaned away slightly, his eyes wide and heart pounding in his chest. He fidgeted in his seat, licking his lips nervously when soobin squinted his eyes suspiciously at beomgyu. 

“It makes me wonder beomgyu...what  _ else _ have you noticed about taehyun?” 

Yeonjun felt like a brick landed on his head. He whipped his gaze from soobin to beomgyu and back to soobin. Then he also scrutinized beomgyu closely now, everything so clear to him. He felt like a curtain had been pulled away, revealing everything. 

“Yeah beomgyu,” yeonjun taunted with a grin. “What else have you noticed about taehyun?” 

The two older boys did not fail to catch a slight blush across beomgyu’s cheeks. 

Gotcha. 

Yeonjun grinned evilly, hooking an arm through soobin’s like the queen that he is, while soobin smirked. 

“How’d you guess?” beomgyu whispered. Beomgyu’s act was up.

Soobin snorted, running a hand through his hair. “Honestly? You had us all fooled. You could have kept this going for much longer. Except you made one crucial mistake.”

“And that would be?” beomgyu asked. 

Soobin patted beomgyu’s head affectionately, ruffling his hair. “You care for taehyun way too much for us not to eventually see it.” 

Beomgyu pouted cutely, fixing his messed up hair. “Fine. i know taehyun likes me,” he admitted.

“You little shit,” yeonjun mumbled under his breath, but slightly impressed that even he was fooled this whole time.

But of course, it was at that moment that hyuka came walking up with taehyun, the both of their eyes widening at beomgyu's admission. 

“Wait what?” hyuka said, looking at beomgyu. 

Taehyun’s eyes widened in fear, staring at beomgyu and not knowing what to say. Beomgyu immediately stood up, about to explain himself or do  _ something, _ when taehyun blinked and all emotion was gone out of his eyes. 

Beomgyu cringed slightly at that, knowing exactly how this looks to taehyun and what he was thinking. 

“Dinner is ready,” taehyun told them in a monotone voice. “Thought you guys would like to know.” and then he turned on his heel and left without another word.

“Shit,” beomgyu whispered, running a hand through his hair in what soobin and yeonjun both know to be his nervous tick. 

**

It was many hours later, and beomgyu lost all hope of getting a chance to talk to taehyun. He still hasnt come back after dinner, claiming he needed to practice more with felix. Still, beomgyu wasnt a quitter. He patiently stayed up, knowing taehyun wasnt allowed to stay out much later than curfew.

When the door to their cabin clicked open, he smiled inwardly.

“Have you known this whole time?” taehyun squinted his eyes in suspicion at beomgyu, hands on his hips. He’s had time to stew and get pissed, snapping him out of his sad mood. 

Beomgyu widened his eyes in innocence, surprised by the accusation. “Know about what?” he asked, playing dumb like he’s done for so long. 

“That i have a humongous unhealthy crush on you, and i would literally worship the path you walk on?” taehyun told him bluntly and to his face. Any form of shyness was taken over by his anger at beomgyu. 

“You have a crush on me?” beomgyu started to ask, but taehyun cut him off. 

“Of course i have a crush on you. I’ve had a crush since i first met-”

“Because i thought it looked more like you are madly in love with me or something,” beomgyu shrugged casually. 

Taehyun stopped what he was saying, his mouth open in shock. He stood there frozen, not knowing what to say. For once in his entire life, taehyun didnt have a retort or comeback, his quick wit gone right out the window. 

Beomgyu giggled, smiling brightly. He got up, taking the few steps past taehyun so that he could shut their cabin door and lock it from any unwanted guests. Taehyun remained in his spot, his mind blank. Within moments, beomgyu was back in front of taehyun, his face way too close for comfort. 

Taehyun took an involuntary step backwards away from him. He no longer knew who this person in front of him was anymore. Beomgyu frowned at the added space, and took a cute step towards him again. 

Taehyun felt like a cornered animal. He stepped away again, his heart pounding hard in his chest. Beomgyu made a little whine at the back of his throat at taehyun’s actions. 

“Would you quit stepping away from me?” he pouted, reaching out quickly and wrapping his arms around taehyun’s waist and then dragging the other boy towards him so that they were pressed against each other with no room between them. “That’s better,” he sighed in content. 

“What the hell is happening?” taehyun swore, leaning a little bit away from beomgyu.

“You havent been paying much attention to me this week,” beomgyu complained, puffing his lips in irritation. “I wanted to know why. Is something wrong?” 

“Uhhh,” taehyun’s world was totally tilted off its axis now. He licked his lips, getting control of his brain again. 

Now, taehyun doesnt normally get mad. He was probably the most even tempered person in his entire generation. Nothing fazes him, and trust him when he says he’s seen some shocking things in his life. Yeonjun was example number one in his book. 

But this...this was beyond shocking. This was downright humiliating, and terrifying. For once in taehyun’s life, he actually cared for someone beyond just a general friendly feeling. Beomgyu ended up being his entire world from the moment he first met him at the start of the school year all those months ago. 

He honestly thought beomgyu had no idea whatsoever of his feelings. 

So you can understand why he is upset right now. Was beomgyu making fun of him this whole time? Was he just pretending not to notice, thinking it was really funny to watch taehyun pine after him for months? At the end of the day, did he go home and laugh about how dumb taehyun was being? 

Taehyun’s chest hurt and his face heated up at these thoughts swirling inside his head. 

“Yeah, i think something is wrong,” taehyun said in a cold and monotone voice. He tried to lean away again, but beomgyu was stronger than he let on, keeping him really close. “What’s wrong is that i cant believe i fell in love with a manipulative asshole.”

Beomgyu blinked, not expecting those words coming out of taehyun’s mouth. “What? Why am i a manipulative asshole?” 

Taehyun scoffed, going on the defense. He didnt want beomgyu to see how much he felt like crying in that moment. “Well i dont know. This whole time you knew i was falling in love with you more and more as the days went by, and you used that to your advantage to make fun of me, maybe even look down on me when i was too busy admiring you,” he spat out. 

Beomgyu’s eyes filled with panic once he realized where taehyun’s train of thought was going. He stopped taehyun right there before this whole situation could escalate further. “No! That’s not true! Taehyunnie, listen to me for a second.”

Taehyun struggled a little to free himself, but that only caused beomgyu to latch onto him with a death grip. “Dont even try to smooth talk yourself out of this one, you son of a-”

“I love you,” beomgyu blurted out, making taehyun speechless again. 

“You’re lying,” taehyun said, squinting his eyes again in suspicion. 

Beomgyu laughed, ignoring taehyun’s brashness. He leaned in and kissed taehyun, slowly melding his lips over and over until taehyun responded to him. Taehyun was stubborn though, drawing his lips into a thin line so beomgyu didnt have access to them as much as he would have liked. 

Beomgyu broke away, breathing heavily a little and glaring at taehyun. “I mean it. I really mean it. Now kiss me back you stubborn boy,” he growled out cutely in frustration. 

“No,” taehyun said pettily. “Not until you explain yourself.”

Beomgyu smirked, making taehyun get nervous for some reason. “Fine.” then he leaned in, brushing his lips over taehyun’s lightly. “At first i only liked you because i was selfish. I liked the attention you gave me, and the fact that you always did everything with me without much of a complaint. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world.  _ Everyone _ wanted to be around me, even the kid with a bored face that hates pretty much all of our classmates. But these feelings only lasted like the first week i met you.”

He leaned in and brushed his lips over taehyun’s again, coaxing him. This time the kiss lasted a little longer and he put more pressure on taehyun’s lips, deepening it slightly. Then he backed away, taehyun’s mouth chasing after his involuntarily. (can you blame taehyun though?) 

“Then i started realizing i liked you more than just something casual. There are many reasons, really. You make me laugh with your hilarious comebacks and remarks, i trust you completely, i feel like i can rely on you for anything. You sound beautiful when you sing, and i wanted to make tons of songs for you. I started loving everything about you,” he whispered that last part. 

Then he leaned in again, kissing taehyun deeply for another minute. Taehyun wasnt putting up much of a fight at this point, completely melting into beomgyu. Then beomgyu broke the kiss again. 

“You made me feel special, and i didnt want you to stop looking at me, so i pretended not to notice. Is it considered being manipulative because i selfishly wanted you to fall in love with me as deeply as much as i love you so that you stay with me forever? Then yeah, i guess i can live with that,” beomgyu chuckled. 

He brought a hand up and cupped the back of taehyun’s head, and then leaned in kissing him once more. His lips fit perfectly against taehyun’s, and he brushed over them again and again, making taehyun’s knees weak. Taehyun finally reciprocated, reaching up and gripping beomgyu’s black hair harshly to keep himself stable while he kissed back. It got extremely heated, extremely fast. Beomgyu wasnt holding back anymore, digging his fingers tightly into taehyun’s slender hips as he forced taehyun’s lips to open up and let him in. 

Taehyun was losing his mind. He forced himself to detach from beomgyu, his breath coming out in short hot pants against beomgyu’s lips. “Im still mad at you,” he gasped out. Beomgyu didnt look or sound much better.

“Yeah, so why dont you come back here and show me how angry you are with your tongue?” beomgyu said with a smirk. Taehyun tried not to blush at that, but managed to focus again. 

“You are so shameless and petty,” taehyun said, rolling his eyes. 

“Damn right im pretty,” beomgyu grinned, bending his head slightly to trace his lips and kiss down taehyun’s jaw and neck, taking taehyun’s breath away. 

“I said petty,” taehyun corrected him. “But i suppose you will just pretend you didnt hear that. Seems like you are good at doing that,” he attacked beomgyu with his words. 

“Want to know what else im good at?” beomgyu muttered huskily against taehyun’s skin, making the other boy shiver in pleasure.

“Lying, pretending and acting, being a piece of shit- hey not so hard or you will leave a mark,” taehyun chastised him in the middle of his rant. Beomgyu was sucking and nipping at his collarbone, intending to leave traces of him all over taehyun’s pretty skin. 

“But i like my lips on you,” beomgyu pouted, bringing his face back up to kiss him lightly on the lips again. 

“I still feel betrayed. Now i feel like i dont even know who you are. I have been a fool this whole time,” taehyun said, looking sad. 

Beomgyu’s chest felt like it was crushed. He never intended to make taehyun feel like that. “I was one hundred percent sincere with you this entire time, minus the obvious attempts to get you to notice me more often,” he laughed lightly. 

“Wait what?” taehyun asked, super confused. “What attempts?” 

Beomgyu rolled his eyes. “Come  _ on _ taehyunnie,” he whined cutely, using that voice he does whenever he doesnt get his way. “What normal person walks around practically shirtless in a tight tank top after working out? Why do you think after all this time being blond i decided to dye my hair black after overhearing you say to hyuka you prefer me in my natural dark hair color? And dont even get me started on the whole ‘sharing food’ thing. You think i just eat after random people? Hello? That’s totally gross. Although…” he leaned in kissing taehyun, nipping his bottom lip harshly so that taehyun would gasp and open up for him, and then started swirling his tongue deeply all over the inside of taehyun’s mouth. Finally he pulled away, both their lips spit slicked and swollen again. “I dont mind swapping spit if its with you,” he finished cheekily. 

“You- that- are you  _ serious _ right now? all of those heart attacks you gave me was done on purpose?” taehyun spluttered. Beomgyu nodded, tightening his arms around taehyun’s waist. 

“You’re pure evil,” taehyun whispered, but he was slowly letting go of his anger at beomgyu. 

“You still love me anyways,” beomgyu told him confidently with a grin. Taehyun didnt deny it. Beomgyu began to loosen his hold, intending to let taehyun go so that they could get ready for bed finally. He had full intentions of cuddling taehyun all night now. 

But something still bugged taehyun, and beomgyu could tell by the look on his face. “What is it?” he asked. 

Taehyun looked up at beomgyu from under his lashes prettily, making beomgyu’s heart practically combust. Its been a long school year having to hold himself back when taehyun acts like this. 

“Your song with jeongin…” he began. “Felix told me that you once said you were saving your first song you compose and finish for the person you love. I thought maybe jeongin could be it...or something,” he mumbled the last part. 

Beomgyu blinked down at him in shock. Now this was something he never would have seen coming, no matter how much he knows taehyun. 

“But that’s not the first song i finished,” beomgyu told him, tilting his head cutely and letting his silver earrings dangle and brush against his shoulder.

Now taehyun was confused. “So its not true? About the first song being for the person you love?”

Beomgyu shook his head. “Oh no, that’s completely true, and i plan on holding myself to that promise. But I dont really consider this song with jeongin my first song being released, since its not just  _ my _ song. Its mostly his anyways, since ive had to tweak it a lot to his tastes, not mine. On top of that, im not releasing it or ever plan on recording it. Its just for this stupid project. Ive made plenty of songs for stupid projects like this one, i mean i _am_ studying in producing and composing, it would make sense that i have a lot of work out there for my grades.” 

“So...you dont have a song made for someone you love?” taehyun pried some more. He’s never been one to beat around the bush, but now he was feeling really insecure again. Perhaps beomgyu never thought he would end up with taehyun, and didnt make one yet. 

Beomgyu grinned prettily, getting where taehyun was going with this. “Damn, you must  _ really  _ love me for you to act this shy. Just spit it out and ask me, taehyun.” his heart swelled at just how much taehyun likes him. He never would have thought he would be this lucky to meet someone who cares for him so much and understands him. He made a silent vow to cherish taehyun forever. 

Taehyun sighed. “Have you ever considered making a song for me? Or is it still too soon for that?” 

Beomgyu laughed. He let go of taehyun and walked away towards his bag of stuff. Taehyun scrunched up his eyebrows, watching what beomgyu was going to do next. He was unpredictable like that, something taehyun adored about him despite other people getting annoyed. It made taehyun’s boring life a little more exciting.

Beomgyu pulled out his phone and a pair of headphones from his bag, and then walked back over to taehyun. He gently smoothed taehyun’s hair behind his ears and popped in the headphones. Then he scrolled through his phone for a few seconds, clicking on a playlist and handing it to taehyun for him to see. 

Taehyun curiously looked at the playlist, scrolling through it slowly. There were a ton of tracks, all numbered with a date and time stamped. There were at least two dozen tracks in the playlist. He looked back up at beomgyu. 

“What are all of these?” he asked him. 

Beomgyu looked away shyly. “They are all finished songs of mine,” he said quietly. 

Taehyun’s eyes bugged out and he flicked his gaze back down to the playlist. “Beomgyu, there are at least 24 songs here! Why didnt you ever tell me you finished so many already?” 

Beomgyu didnt respond for a moment, looking down and playing with his fingers nervously. He may have been confident before, but this was something extremely personal that he was finally revealing. This is one of the most meaningful and private things he has ever decided to share with someone. It felt like he was baring his soul to taehyun, giving him the power to crush him if he wished. 

Not that he would ever think taehyun would do something like that, but yeah...you get the point.

“Music has been my life, and i swore to myself that i would never make meaningless songs. Each one is special, and i let slip to changbin that I planned for my first self composed and produced song to be for someone i deeply loved…”

Taehyun waited patiently for him to finish. He was always a great listener, something beomgyu was grateful for. 

Beomgyu looked up at taehyun from underneath his dark bangs. “Well...now you have 24 of them, taehyunnie.” 

Taehyun stopped breathing. He looked down at the playlist filled with songs, then back up at beomgyu, then back down at the playlist with  _ twenty four songs _ , then back up at beomgyu, and he just... started crying uncontrollably. 

“Wait, why are you crying?” beomgyu panicked, reaching his arms out to gather taehyun into a hug. 

“All of these are mine?” taehyun sobbed into beomgyu’s chest, getting his shirt wet. “Are you  _ kidding _ me right now?” he cried, his voice quivering.

“You dont like it?” beomgyu asked softly, totally confused. 

“Of  _ course _ i like it! I love it so much to the point where i spontaneously cried! How do you expect me to respond to something like this when this is the most beautiful thing i-” taehyun hiccupped, sucking a breath inbetween sobs. 

Beomgyu grinned, instantly relaxing. “So these are happy tears, then. I think this is the first time i have ever seen you cry from being so happy.” 

“Shut up,” taehyun mumbled, calming down a little and sniffling. 

“Well, in case you were wondering, each of the tracks is labeled with the time and date i saw you and fell a little bit more in love with you, and started composing the melody in my head. I have maybe, three more? from this retreat alone to add to the list-”

He grinned and laughed with joy when taehyun started crying even harder and louder, completely curling himself into beomgyu’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM BACK IM SO SORRY
> 
> I did not forget you guys or abandon this fic! Let me semi-rant for a paragraph:  
> school was being such a piece of shit. like, you would think I would have more free time because its all online classes now, right? WRONG. they legit slammed me with way more work than I would have if I just went to class everyday, those sons of bitches. 
> 
> anyways, surprise! beomgyu is not as dumb as we thought! oh and hey, he's a hopeless romantic too <3


	8. Chapter Eight

The morning was peaceful and serene. The birds were chirping softly in the trees of the surrounding forest, there was a light mist of dewdrops coating the grass and plants, leaving the early crisp air cool and calming. 

Taehyun sighed in content, looking out his window at the beautiful nature behind his small cabin. He's going to miss this once he returns to the city. He got up especially early just for these precious moments of quiet where he can get lost in his thoughts. It was his tiny getaway before the horrid training began again. 

Taehyun's eyes lit up in joy when he noticed all of the deer eating and walking through the grass and on the outskirts of the forest. They didn't see him watching them, and he kept very very still so he wouldn't frighten the skittish and shy creatures.

It was such a wonderful morning one of the best-

"ACHOO!" 

The deer all stopped what they were doing, whipping their heads towards taehyuns window, and then in a flash, they were all gone, bounding back through the trees. 

Taehyun turned his head towards his door and the source of the noise with a glare. 

"Nice going beomgyu, you scared them away."

"Oh what, am I not allowed to sneeze now?" 

Taehyun ignored him and got up in a huff, getting ready to start his day now that the peace was ruined. 

**

Yeonjun blinked his eyes awake, rolling over onto his other side. He smiled when he saw soobin already laying there in his own bed with his eyes open.

"Hey," he said, his voice raspy and kind of deep from sleep.

"Hey," soobin said back from across the room. They faced each other, and just stared, studying the features and admiring how pretty the other was despite looking rough from sleep. 

"What time did you get up?" Yeonjun asked, yawning and tucking himself into the comforter more. It was somewhat chilly this early in the morning. 

"A few minutes ago," soobin replied, his teeth chattering a little bit as he adjusted himself under his own thin blanket. 

"We still have some time to sleep in," yeonjun noted, looking at his phone screen next to him. It was close to 5am. They won't have to be up for another hour or so depending on what jungkook and taehyung had planned. 

"I know, but I couldn't fall back asleep," soobin chattered. His teeth were clicking together every now and then. He was too cold to fall back asleep. 

Normally, something like that would annoy the hell out of yeonjun if it was anybody else but soobin. However, he finds it kind of cute that soobin was a freeze baby, always needing to be bundled up to stay warm. 

He likes it a lot, because then he could do this:

Yeonjun sighed dramatically, hiding a smile. He opened up his blanket and scooted as far as he could to leave enough room for the bigger boy. "C'mere," he told soobin, rolling his eyes. "Your constant chattering is getting ridiculous. It's worse than my alarm clock."

Soobin blinked over at him, frozen in place. He was surprised by the kind gesture, and then he smiled. Yeonjun tries to be mean, but really he was one of the most thoughtful people soobin has come to know. 

So soobin happily took his thin quilt and waddled over to yeonjun's waiting arms. He threw his blanket over yeonjun's to double up, and then he tucked himself cutely into yeonjun's side. He wiggled himself to get more comfortable, and then the other boy folded both blankets over their bodies to block out the cold once again. Soobin buried his cold nose into yeonjun's neck and his freezing feet in between yeonjun's bare legs, making yeonjun hiss from the attack on his warmer skin. 

After a few quiet seconds of getting settled, soobin began to relax and warm up. "Mmm you're like my personal furnace," he purred, his breath hitting yeonjuns skin. 

"I don't know how such a big person can be so cold all the time," yeonjun complained. But he tucked his chin over the top of soobins head and wrapped an arm around soobin's waist so he could drag him even closer. You know...just to make sure soobin didn't fall off the bed or something. 

"Always have been," soobin said, his words starting to slur as he got sleepy again. Yeonjun smelled good, kind of like clean soap and mint, and he was just so warm and comfortable. Soobin finds he likes this a lot more than he should. 

Before he fell asleep, soobin sneakily pressed warm kisses to yeonjun's neck where his face was buried. He could feel yeonjun's pulse spike at the contact, and he smiled at the effect he had on the older boy. Yeonjun wasn't as inconspicuous as he thought he was. 

Yeonjun sat there in agony. He wants soobin so bad, to the point of going feral. It really should be a surprise just how much yeonjun likes the boy, but he's felt this way for soobin since the very beginning. It built and bubbled to the point of finally combusting, and here we are now. 

Soobin was a distraction. He shouldn't be thinking about him as much as he does. He should be prioritizing his studies and maintaining his top position at the University.

But now...yeonjun doesn't seem to care about that anymore. Or at least...care for it less than he did. 

Soobin gave him one last soft kiss and then finally started to settle, sighing in sweet content when yeonjun gripped him tighter around the waist. 

Yeah, no, yeonjun can't do this anymore. 

The reason why yeonjun is so aggressive and hostile is because he doesn't have closure, he doesn't have a solid understanding of where he and soobin stand. He doesn't need a label, he's not selfish like that. But he _is_ pretty possessive, and if he's not at least 75% sure about what is supposedly _his_ , then he acts out like a child. 

So like a mature and proper adult that yeonjun sometimes pretends to be, he asked what he's been meaning to ask for a long time.

"Soobin…?" He whispered to the other boy. He sort of prayed soobin would be sleeping but at the same time hoped he would still be up. 

"Hmmm?" Soobin answered, not bothering to move from his comfy position or look up at yeonjun. 

"What if…." He licked his dry lips, suddenly very very nervous. If this was anybody else, yeonjun wouldn't have cared, because he knows his feelings wouldn't get hurt. But this is _soobin,_ and soobin has the power to make him feel vulnerable and crushed, and that's a scary thought. 

"Yeonjun?" Soobin prompted, worried when yeonjun didn't finish his sentence and instead went silent for a few moments. He pushed his head up from yeonjun's neck so he could look him directly in the eyes. 

"What if…" yeonjun whispered, snapping back to the can of worms he just opened. "What if we didn't fake date anymore?" He asked, suddenly holding his breath. 

Soobin first didn't register the question, then his eyes got dim and a bit sad. "Are you breaking up with me before the election is over?" He muttered. That shouldn't hurt as much as it did. Soobin knew this was going to happen eventually, but he thought he had at least a little bit more time to indulge himself. 

Yeonjun's eyes got wide with panic. "No! No...what I mean is, I don't want to fake date you. I want to date you for real, be with you, you know...stuff like that," he trailed off quietly, shifting his eyes around the room and not wanting to look at soobin. 

Soobin was silent again and the quiet was beyond irritating for yeonjun. 

Then, soobin broke the silence with a light chuckle. "Sure," is all he said, getting comfortable once again and closing his eyes.

"Wait what?" Yeonjun asked, snapping his gaze down at soobin. "That's it? Just sure?" 

"Yeah, I accept. Let's date for real," soobin told him nonchalantly, like they were discussing the weather or something. 

"But I thought...but I figured..we would get into some kind of angsty argument, where you tell me you aren't sure what your feelings are for me, and I tell you that I'm not good enough for you and that you deserve someone better, and then we fight and mope around for a few days where eventually we both realize we are being dumb and then bam, we get together and make out all dramatically and stuff…" yeonjun babbled. 

Soobin laughed against yeonjun's skin into the quiet morning, loving the way yeonjun was now rubbing circles onto his lower back. "Yeonjun you watch too many kdramas. And you should know me by now...I'm too lazy to go through all of that emotional drama with you. I like you, and you make me feel happy, and I don't want to give up something if it makes me feel good. Our lives are already complicated, why do we have to make this complicated too? Besides, we already got ourselves into this mess by being stupid, why do we have to end it being stupid as well?" He yawned at the end of that. 

Yeonjun was appalled. "I mean, you're right, but I figured you might have liked daehwi or something and then I would have to basically battle it out with the little shit. I mean, daehwi is a much better person than I am, I know I can be rude and selfish but-" 

He was shut up by a kiss from soobin on the lips. 

"I never liked daehwi. He's a friend at best, yeonjun, so ignore him and his antics. If it makes you feel better, I told him bluntly that it will always be you. No matter what, it was always you." 

Yeonjun's heart skipped a beat at that, and he brought his hand up to the back of soobin's head, holding him in place while he kissed him a bit harder for a few minutes. He finally let soobin go, sucking on his bottom lip one last time before they pulled apart, breathing heavily. 

"So...that's literally it?" He asked soobin one last time in disbelief. Can you blame him though? "It's as easy as that? We are officially dating, and basically I can do whatever I want to you?" Yeonjun's eyes sparkled with hope and happiness, a smirk forming on his lips.

Soobin rolled his eyes, hitting yeonjuns chest playfully. "You are so shameless. You've been doing whatever the hell you wanted since this thing started. And yes, we are officially together. I'm yours, you're mine. Nobody else, so I expect loyalty to the fullest-"

"Mhmm yeah, yeah," yeonjun murmured against soobin's lips once more. "I won't hold back now," he whispered with glee.

But before yeonjun could go further, soobin put up a hand blocking his onslaught. "Not now though, I'm tired and we are wasting precious minutes of sleep." He was dead serious.

Yeonjun huffed in annoyance, but didn't object to soobin smiling cutely and pecking yeonjun on the lips before settling _finally_ back to sleep. 

Well, at least yeonjun feels so much lighter now knowing soobin was officially his. 

**

It was pretty rowdy in the dining hall later that morning. Everybody was up now and getting breakfast before they start another day of training and preparing for their partner performances. Soobin, taehyun, beomgyu, and hyuka were sitting at one end of a large wooden table, happily eating. Whatever happened between beomgyu and taehyun seemed to be over with now, because currently taehyun was teasing and bickering with beomgyu again like usual. Something about deers? Whatever, soobin was just glad that was over. And he was even happier now that he can basically L-word yeonjun to his heart's content without having to worry about what would happen to them after elections. Speaking of yeonjun, he was battling it out for the leftover breakfast food against bang chan at the front of the dining room. Soobin chuckled at them trying to take as much as they could on a single plate. He also knows that yeonjun will share his earnings with him once he returns.

Soft music was playing on someone's phone at one of the other wooden tables, and overall it was a nice morning. 

Until yeonjun lost his temper. In front of the entire dining hall.

"Wait, bro, bro, cut the music for a second!" Yeonjun yelled at hyunjin, who must have been the one playing music on his phone. Hyunjin looked up from eating and pressed pause. 

"Ok everybody, listen up!" Yeonjun shrieked. Immediately the whole room got quiet. "Somebody left an _ice cube_ on the ground, and now my _sock_ is wet, I just wanted to know who the fuck has so little manners to not pick it up? Were you raised in a barn?!" He squinted his eyes suspiciously at anyone who had ice in their drinks, his hands on his hips.

A few people dropped open their mouths in surprise, and a fork clattered on someone's plate.

"Yeonjun, quit your bitching and sit your ass down," taehyun said, rolling his eyes.

"It was you, wasn't it?" He accused his best friend. "It's just like you, as soon as you start finagling with the enemy, you become a barbarian." 

The 'enemy' (beomgyu) in question flicked yeonjun off, continuing to eat his food, and taehyun blushed slightly. 

"Now yeonjun," soobin started to placate his boyfriend while taking another bite of food. He got a thrill thinking about yeonjun being his boyfriend for real. The rest of the room went back to what they were doing, ignoring yeonjun's outburst.

But then daehwi, who was further down on the bench seat, took yeonjun's spot and sidled up next to soobin on purpose. He leaned over and wiped the corner of soobins mouth with a napkin, getting rid of some of the rice that stuck to his face. 

The deathly look on yeonjun's face was downright terrifying, and the room became hushed once more as yeonjun stomped back to his table and reached over, his plate of food forgotten at the buffet. He gripped daehwi's shirt, dragging him closer a bit. 

All fun and games were over. The playfulness from yeonjun a second ago was gone. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Yeonjun hissed into daehwi's face. He didn't even care where he was or the fact that he was in public. All he cared about in that moment was daehwi hitting on his boyfriend _again_. Doesn't this kid have any decency or respect for other people?! 

Even soobin was clearly annoyed. He knows daehwi was doing it just to bother yeonjun, but even that was starting to become too much. He doesn't appreciate being used like that, either. 

"Helping out a friend," daehwi huffed. He wasn't intimidated by yeonjun. In fact, he had a smirk on his face the entire time.

"I think it's time I settle this once and for all with you, you little bastard. Do you think I'm just going to sit here and watch you shamelessly flirt and hang all over _my_ boyfriend?! What part of 'soobin is taken' can't you understand?!" He yelled. He was so furious, so close to throttling the smaller boy. 

Soobin was starting to get afraid. Not because of yeonjun, but because daehwi really brought this upon himself and might actually get hurt, and soobin was scared yeonjun might get kicked out of the university or something. He wouldn't forgive himself if he was the reason why yeonjun lost everything he worked so hard to accomplish. 

"I still think soobin deserves better than you. Not such a prince now, are you? Everyone here has witnessed what you're truly like. Good luck explaining yourself out of this one," daehwi snorted. Soobin thinks this kid seriously had a death wish. Was it really worth it making yeonjun get so angry in front of everyone? 

"You think I give a shit how other people view me? You are trying to break up and ruin my relationship with soobin, which isn't going to work by the way, and I'm going to make sure I kick your ass across the ocean," yeonjun promised, his face getting very very close to daehwi's. The fury in his eyes even made daehwi start to get a little nervous. 

"Listen very closely, you little snake. I will not repeat myself. You might be right that soobin deserves someone better, but soobin is mine now. He isn't yours or anybody else's. Soobin agreed to date me, and now he can't get rid of me. I won't let him go no matter what because I'm a selfish bastard like that. Before I literally beat the shit out of you, I am giving you one last chance to leave him the fuck alone, or so help me I will make your life a living hell. Do I make myself clear?" Yeonjun told him in a deathly quiet voice. His eyes were blazing with anger, but his face was neutral and calm, which made the whole thing twice as terrifying than it would have been if yeonjun just went on his usual temper tantrum and rampages. 

Oh god, why does yeonjun defending him excite soobin so much? Was he messed up in the head or something? 

"Yeah daehwi, what the hell? Even I would have snapped and beat the shit out of anyone who dared hit on wooyoung. The fact that you got away with continuously doing this is honestly a surprise. Yeonjun has really been pretty decent with you up until now," san cut in. A few people all nodded their heads. 

"Yeah man, that isn't cool," Felix butted in from across the room. "If anybody dared touch my Binnie, well...hehe I would cut off their hand," the happy and peppy boy giggled sadistically, swinging his butter knife around with expertise. Felix is so cute and giggly, that many people forget he's a third-degree black belt in martial arts. A few people near him slowly slid away with their plates of food. 

In a gesture of comfort, soobin reached forward and touched yeonjun's arm. The look in his eyes told him it wasn't worth it, to back down and let it go. Yeonjun's temper started to die down a notch, and he glanced away from soobin with shame. 

Yeonjun was done with this. He let go of daehwi's shirt collar, and backed away. He needed to get out otherwise he was going to explode and do something he regrets. Soobin doesn't need this kind of drama in his life. 

So he ran out the door and back to his cabin, slamming the door shut. 

The entire breakfast hall was silent for a few moments. A few people were watching where Yeonjun was a second ago, some were looking at soobin, some at daehwi. Nobody made a single move. 

Finally, soobin stood up. He didn't dare look at daehwi, but his words were quiet and clear in the awkward silence. 

"Daehwi, Im not angry with you. I'm disappointed. I don't appreciate you treating my boyfriend or myself in this way, and if this doesn't stop I will be forced to take this to the student council. This is bordering past a playful joke and into sexual harassment. Now with that, I'm going to go and check on yeonjun." He turned and started walking around the table, stopping in front of beomgyu, hyuka, and taehyun. "Can you tell our instructors our sincere apologies for missing morning training? Yeonjun and I will gladly accept any punishments for skipping." 

Hyuka nodded, and beomgyu patted soobin's hand. 

"Sure thing, hyung. We got your back," taehyun promised him. "Now go see yeonjun before he destroys your cabin or something," he laughed. He was only half joking. 

Soobin did that, leaving his food and everyone else behind. 

Daehwi soon became mortified, and quickly left the other way, escaping and avoiding everyone's look of disappointment. 

"Ok, did anyone else find yeonjun's whole 'hes mine' alpha-male speech totally freaking hot?" Wooyoung said, breaking the silence and causing a few people to laugh. 

"Wish I had someone do that to me," hyunjin sighed, sending a look over to seungmin. 

"And here I thought changbin was the possessive one in your relationship. What the fuck Felix? You're happy face is scary as all shit," yunho noted, yelling over to Felix. 

That started a huge eruption in the room and soon everybody was back to eating and minding their own business. 

Amongst all the mayhem, jungkook and taehyung sat at one of the tables, watching everything. 

"Almost had to interfere for a second there," jungkook mumbled around his food. He was shoveling it into his mouth by the pound. "Thought yeonjun was seriously going to throw the first punch." 

"Soobin calmed him down in time," taehyung noted, a smirk on his lips. 

"Uh oh, I know that look. What are you scheming this time?" Jungkook asked, chugging his banana milk now. 

"You are such an animal," taehyung deflected, snorting at jungkook's appetite. 

**

Soobin rushed straight to their cabin, surprised when he found it unlocked. He for sure thought yeonjun would kick up a fuss and maybe lock him out or something. But instead, he opened their door and shut it tight, making sure they wouldnt be disturbed by anybody nosy. 

Slowly, soobin entered the cabin, looking around to see if yeonjun flipped his shit and destroyed the place, or was currently plotting someone’s murder in a corner somewhere or something. But to his relief, everything was quiet.

Too quiet. 

He made his way to their room and stopped at the doorway. What he saw broke his heart a little bit. 

Sitting on the edge of his bed sat yeonjun, looking down at his hands and just staring at the floor with such a sad and dejected expression. 

This wasnt right. Yeonjun isnt supposed to be oddly quiet and calm. Yeonjun was always full of energy and loud and obnoxious. Soobin needed to talk to him. 

So he walked over and knelt on the ground in front of yeonjun. Yeonjun didnt even give him a glance. It looked like he was on the border of crying and for some reason seeing yeonjun cry would definitely make soobin extremely upset. He doesnt think he could bear it if yeonjun started so much as sniffling. 

“What’s wrong?” soobin asked him softly, getting straight to the point. 

Because that’s what yeonjun and soobin’s relationship was based off of wasnt it? Honesty, being blunt, and not stepping around each other like some other couples tend to do. Since the beginning, they have been upfront and always showing their true selves. They didnt have to hide anything from one another, and for that soobin is so happy and grateful. He is the luckiest person in the world, to find someone who accepts him for who he is and someone who will avoid all the unnecessary drama. 

Yes, soobin was starting to think it was inevitable that they would fall for each other and end up together. 

“Nothing,” yeonjun mumbled, trying his best to ignore soobin. 

Soobin scoffed, reaching out and gripping yeonjun’s hands into his bigger one gently. He was relieved when yeonjun didnt shake him off or hiss at the touch. Soobin likes how he can literally touch yeonjun whenever he wanted, no matter the situation. Having that kind of privilege with your significant other was intoxicating. 

“Dont even attempt to lie to me, yeonjun. I can always see through your bullshit,” soobin told him flatly. “Now tell me what’s wrong. Is it because of daehwi? It must be, after what he just did.” soobin tried to dig around, get yeonjun talking. 

Yeonjun squeezed his hands within soobin’s hand. “No, yes, but mostly no.”

Soobin rubbed his fingers up yeonjun’s wrist. It seems like yeonjun is truly and seriously upset about something. “I need you to explain, yeonjunnie. Come on, you can tell me anything, you know this.” 

Yeonjun sighed, finally meeting soobin’s eyes. He looked so sad and defeated. 

“Im still royally pissed off at daehwi for always hitting on you. And i know its not your fault, so dont get the wrong idea. I trust you when you said you already told daehwi not to bother, and that you were taken. And daehwi really had it coming. Im just...disappointed in _myself_. For the way i acted. For causing a scene in front of everybody. For basically embarrassing you in front of all of our classmates. I should be better than this…” and yeonjun really did sniffle. 

Oh no. 

Soobin leaned in closer so that their faces were super close, their noses touching. “Stop it,” soobin told him softly. 

“Stop what?” yeonjun asked back, almost whispering. 

“We already have been through this. Yeonjun, you are an amazing person. You dont have to apologize for the way you act. You did nothing wrong, and im glad you stood up for me like that. Could you have handled that a bit more maturely? Maybe, but honestly, nobody blames you for getting upset.”

Yeonjun was quiet, not talking back. 

“Its ok to want to change and better yourself as you grow, but changing yourself because of what others think is not the way to do it, yeonjun. You helped me learn that, actually,” he laughed lightly.

Now yeonjun’s attention was focused completely onto soobin. “What do you mean?” 

“I overheard what you said to san that day in first year. I was really really upset about it-”

Yeonjun was about to interject, but soobin held up his hand to stop him. “I wasnt upset with _you_. I was upset with myself. Your words really hit home, and i realized that i needed to change. Not my image, or my personality, but my attitude and mindset. I need to be more confident, to be more positive, and to most importantly, _believe_ in myself. Basically, it was a wake up call for me, telling me to love myself more. I always compared myself to everyone else. You all were much better dancers, and had years of training with singing and i didnt...and i kept thinking i wasnt good enough and that i didnt belong here.”

Yeonjun kept quiet, letting soobin tell him all of his thoughts. This is the first time they have had a proper talk about this type of stuff. 

“You opened my eyes a little bit, and even though it wasnt intentional on your part, i still admire you for an unreasonable amount. Back then...nobody else saw what i saw when it came to you.”

“What did you see?” yeonjun mumbled, suddenly getting shy. He loves praise and admiration, sure, but this was soobin’s praise and admiration, and for some reason that means a whole hell of a lot more than anybody else’s. 

“I saw a very hardworking and determined boy. He didnt fall for any of the stupid games the rest of the students tried to throw his way, he saw through the deception and lies, and despite what he might believe, he is actually a very loyal and compassionate person. He spent hours upon hours helping an untrained boy learn dance, and not once did he complain or get angry. To me, you were kind of like my hero. Nobody else has ever taken the time to help me like you did. And then i noticed all of your other personality traits, and they were endearing to me.” 

Then soobin connected their hands, so that they were palm to palm and intertwining their fingers. 

“And what about now? What do you see now?” yeonjun whispered. Soobin had a way with words, and yeonjun loved that about him. He was slowly feeling better and better from his crappy mood. 

Soobin smirked, leaning even closer so that his lips werent quite touching yeonjun’s just yet, but the older boy could feel his breath. 

“I see pouty lips i just want to kiss all day, and a slim waist i want to keep pressed against me, and i see long long legs that i want wrapped around my hips.” then soobin kissed him lightly on the lips, and yeonjun giggled a little at that. 

“You are such a pervert.”

“Says the person who is always trying to feel up my abs,” soobin said back, kissing yeonjun quickly a few more times. 

“They are very nice abs,” yeonjun didnt hesitate to admit.

“Now dont be so hard on yourself, yeonjun,” soobin said, finally getting up off the ground and ruffling yeonjun’s hair. “If there is anyone in this world that can handle you, its only me,” he laughed, avoiding a swipe from yeonjun.

Just as he was about to turn, he felt a tug on his wrist. He stopped and looked down curiously. Now what was it?

Yeonjun looked through his blue bangs, his eyes apologetic. For what, soobin didnt know.

“You were so pretty, i got mad,” yeonjun told him suddenly. His cheeks were slightly flushed.

“What?” soobin said, not quite understanding yeonjun’s train of thought. 

“That day i first saw you, you were so pretty and i got mad. Mostly at myself for falling for a dorky nerd who couldnt even do a pushup,” he chuckled a little at the memory. “But i couldnt get distracted. Which meant whatever attraction i felt towards you shouldnt happen.” 

Soobin continued to stand there, listening. He guesses it was yeonjun’s turn to tell how he really felt those few years ago. 

“My mom told me i had to be there very best-”

“Like no one ever was?” soobin asked.

“Yeah,” yeonjun nodded his head, glad that soobin was starting to understand. He was revealing some deep feelings here, something he has never done before.

Soobin smirked. “To catch pokemon is your real quest, to train them is your cause-ow!” 

Yeonjun snapped at soobin’s stupid joke and yanked him down onto the bed next to him, then he punched him. 

“Im serious! I didnt have time for relationships and people. My mom pressures me so much, i developed anxiety. So i did the only thing i could do. I did everything i possibly could to be perfect, and i accomplished most of that. But honestly? I was a goner the moment you smiled that pretty dimpled smile at me. I told myself to forget about you and shoved you out of my sight. Out of sight, out of mind, right? But you always came back sometimes...whenever i would get lost in thought.” 

Yeonjun gave soobin a watery smile. “Im sorry,” he whispered finally, his words the most sincere he has ever said. He's finally apologizing for how he acted, for the stupid words he said to san that accidentally and unintentionally hurt soobin's feelings. But most of all, he's apologizing to himself.

“Thank you..” soobin whispered back, wrapping an arm around yeonjun’s waist and leaning back onto the mattress. “For telling me. If it makes you feel better, i forgive you. But that’s just nonsense in my opinion. You really didnt do anything wrong, besides lie to san.” 

Yeonjun buried his face into soobin’s chest, breathing him in deeply. 

“Still, im glad we had this talk,” yeonjun confessed. He felt so much better and more at ease than he’s ever felt in his life. 

Soobin kissed the top of his head, and they chose to skip the rest of the morning training. 

“How’s practicing with san going?” yeonjun broke the silence.

“Agony. Id rather burn alive than dance what he’s making me dance to,” soobin replied immediately, making yeonjun snort into his shirt. 

**

“Hey taehyun!” jeongin said, jogging up to the other boy. 

Taehyun slowed down, reminding himself that jeongin isnt interested in beomgyu, and beomgyu isnt interested in jeongin. He has started to feel a little bit better around him ever since he and beomgyu got together the other day. 

“Hey jeongin. Whats up?” taehyun said, pausing in his walk to his cabin. They have a little free time after lunch before their training resumes. 

“I was wondering if you know where beomgyu is? We were supposed to meet up after lunch to go over a few things for our project, but i cant find him anywhere,” jeongin pouted. Taehyun could really see why jeongin was popular without even trying. The boy was cute no matter what he did, always smiling and super friendly to everybody. 

“The little shit is probably sleeping. He likes to nap after lunch until the late afternoon,” taehyun sighed. “Come on, follow me.” 

Beomgyu always does this, ever since taehyun first met him. 

“Thanks! You’re the best!” jeongin said with a chipper voice, and skipped next to taehyun as they continued on to taehyun’s cabin. 

Taehyun stomped up to the door, and jiggled it, but it was locked. 

What the fuck?

“Beomgyu?! Are you there? Beomgyu!” taehyun said, knocking on the door. He tried to peek through their curtain they have on the door, and caught a glimpse of dark hair ducking under the window. 

“Nobody’s home!” a voice called from the cabin.

“Beomgyu i can fucking see your dark ass hair through the curtains, open the door, you have a project to finish!” taehyun yelled. “Dont make me break down the door, so help me i will-”

The door lock clicked and taehyun quickly turned the knob and swung it open. What he found was surprising. 

Beomgyu was currently standing up on a chair, taehyun’s shoe in his hand. Jeongin popped in, looking over taehyun’s shoulder. 

“What’s he doing?” jeongin asked. 

Taehyun rolled his eyes at the scene before him. “Alright, where is it?” he asked. He knows the drill by now. 

“Under my bed,” beomgyu whimpered, his eyes teary. “Taehyunnie, its really really big. I was just lying there on my bed, about to take a nap and this huge spider scurried across the wall, coming right for me. It legit tried to suffocate me!” 

“He’s scared of bugs?” jeongin guessed, chuckling a little. 

“Deathly afraid of them. This punk has no problems jumping off of buildings, but show him a bug and he’s a screeching girl,” taehyun sighed. Then taehyun stepped into the room, looking for the spider. 

“Why do you have my shoe?” he asked the older boy who was still standing up on the chair. 

“Bitch, there was no way in hell i was gonna use my own shoe!” beomgyu yelled, looking horrified at the idea.

“You are so unbelievable.”

“Just kill it for me! Go, go, go!” 

Taehyun got on his hands and knees, searching near the bed when he saw the little guy dart across the floor. He took off his current shoe he had on, and went to squish it when-

“Holy shit!” taehyun yelled. In front of him was the biggest fucking spider he’s ever seen. Beomgyu whimpered unhelpfully in the background, and taehyun reacted quickly on reflex. He smacked the shit out of the thing before it could drag him under the bed. Then he smacked it a few more times just for good measure.

He leaned back, panting, studying the dead carcass suspiciously. He was afraid it was a trick and the spider was just buying it’s time before it stopped playing dead.

“I told youuuu!” beomgyu wailed. 

“I think its safe now,” taehyun said, standing back up looking like he just came back from war. 

“I think….ill come back at a later time,” jeongin started to say, slowly backing out of the cabin. “Byeeee!” and then he was gone. 

“You fucking traitor! You just dont want to help check to make sure this monster didnt have a family lurking around here somewhere!” beomgyu yelled from his chair after jeongin. The door to the cabin slammed shut. 

It was quiet for a few moments while taehyun cleaned up the mess (there was a lot of mess) and then he washed his hands. He finally came back into the room, and laughed when he saw beomgyu still up on the chair. 

He reached out for beomgyu, gripping his waist and helping him down. 

“I dont think im going to be able to sleep tonight,” beomgyu said, dead serious. “Either i sleep in your bed, or i take the chair, because there is no way in hell im going back to that den of evil-”

However, having beomgyu this close to him was very distracting, and taehyun was only half paying attention.

“Did you know that kissing reduces stress and anxiety?” taehyun blurted out randomly, cutting beomgyu’s rambling off. 

Beomgyu looked at taehyun with confusion. “Okay? And?” 

“You seem really stressed…” taehyun trailed off, his eyes never leaving beomgyu’s lips. 

Beomgyu finally caught on, grinning from ear to ear. “Yeah, i guess i am…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry for all of the dialogue in this chapter, but yeonbin really needed to have The Talk


	9. Chapter Nine

Soobin, taehyun, and hueningkai all stood outside their cabins in the bright morning sun. There was a bit of a chill in the air, and soobin shivered as he cupped his warm mug of tea in both hands. 

The scene before them was strange, but not uncommon in the two and a half weeks since they have been training together with the dance club. 

Soobin blew on his tea, taehyun dried his freshly showered hair with a towel, and hyuka sidled up closer to the both of them to keep warm while eating a biscuit he somehow managed to swipe from the kitchen. They all stared at the dance members with scrunched up faces as they passed by.

The chanting was almost comical, except it was 6:30 in the morning, and soobin and the rest of the music club were just not feeling it.

All of the dance members were currently jogging around their compound, half of them shirtless, the other half wearing skin tight t-shirts or sleeveless shirts. Sweat trickled down their faces and their cheeks were flushed. 

It was obnoxious really. They yelled 'hoo!' every few minutes as they made a pass by the music members. Round and round they went, in some kind of herd like a flock of birds. The thing is, they didn't have to do this extra running almost every single morning. It wasn't officially part of their training, they just _chose_ to do it (which is disgusting if you ask soobin).

"Look at them, bragging and showing off. Almost as if they are telling us 'ooo look at us! We are so athletic and fit!' as if I'm not also athletic just because I chose singing over dancing," taehyun grumbled. "it's pointless. Do they think they look hot and sexy by flaunting themselves so early in front of us?" 

"So then why are you staring at beomgyu like you want to jump him?" Hyuka teased, nudging taehyun's shoulder.

"I didn't say it wasn't working," taehyun replied back. He winked at beomgyu, making the older boy flush as he ran by. What? He looked damn good in his tight black tshirt and joggers. Yes, it was well known all over the training grounds now that taehyun and beomgyu were a thing. Not that they acted any differently from when they both arrived two weeks ago, but at least things were officially out in the open.

"Honestly, what goes on in that club?" Soobin wondered, sipping his tea. There was no way in hell you would get him up at the crack of dawn just to run around the place like a bunch of characters from naruto. 

"Nothing much, we are normal just like everybody else," wooyoung said, popping up out of nowhere. Soobin squeaked at the sudden appearance, almost dropping his drink.

"Shut up wooyoung, why aren't you running with them then?" Taehyun threw at him with a challenging brow.

"I'm officially a part of the music club today," wooyoung grinned at him. The bastard just didn't want to run so early in the morning. "Oh by the way, I changed my name. You can now call me 'young'." 

Hyuka snorted. "Did you seriously try to nickname yourself?" 

"What kind of a name is 'young'?" Taehyun asked him with a deadpan expression. 

Wooyoung giggled. "It's like wooyoung, but shorter, silly!" He smacked taehyun playfully. Taehyun just glared at him and stepped closer to soobin. 

"Alright everybody! After breakfast we are going to go hiking up the mountain! Doesn't that sound so fun?!" Jungkook asked, laughing wholeheartedly as he squirted water all over his face and hair. He decided to run with the dance members, even though he technically didn't have to.

"And then we will meet one last time with your project partners. The performance is later this week!" Taehyung added in, watching his boyfriend start to do push-ups in the dirt while shirtless. 

Soobin widened his eyes in horror. "I hate it here." 

**

Soobin huffed and puffed, his breath showing in the chilly mountain air. It was about 8 in the morning, and he honestly feels like he can see the light upon the hill, ready to take him from this world. 

He stopped in his spot, wiping some cold sweat off his neck and squinting into the distance, a peaceful look on his face. 

Yeonjun stopped right behind him, wondering what was taking so long for him to move. They were falling behind again, which yeonjun didnt mind, but still...what the heck?

Soobin sighed, breathing in the fresh mountain air. “This is my life now. I have climbed upon this hill and i will die on it.”

Yeonjun rolled his eyes. “Shut up, we’ve only been hiking for like, 10 minutes. Now keep going,” he nudged soobin. He was such a dramatic bitch sometimes. 

“But jjuni, my legs hurt,” he pouted. “Carry me.” 

“No, every man for himself. Dont think i wont hesitate to trip you and use you as a decoy if we were ever chased by a bear or mountain lion,” yeonjun gritted his teeth, speed walking up the _small_ hill they were currently climbing. 

Soobin gasped. “You would do that to your own boyfriend? The love of your life, the second half to your soul, the-” 

“Im getting diabetes from listening to how sugary sweet you are being,” yeonjun mumbled, but he reached out and gripped soobin’s arm anyways, tugging on soobin’s hand and not letting go. He secretly liked hearing soobin talk like that about their relationship now. 

Soobin continued to drag his feet the rest of the morning, slowing down yeonjun’s power walk and being annoying. Which resulted in yeonjun kicking his ass (gently) every time he was being a little shit. 

The rest of the club members that were also lagging behind just watched with mild interest. They were used to this by now. 

“Hey guys! Lets all take a picture at the top of the mountain!” wooyoung yelled down to them as they approached the peak an hour later. 

“Ugh, i hate pictures,” soobin complained, but reluctantly agreed. He didnt climb this fucking pit from hell just to leave and not have any proof. 

When they all got to the top, a huge group of students gathered to do as wooyoung asked, wanting to take a picture with the morning sun. beomgyu wrapped an arm around taehyun’s shoulders, pushing him closer into his side and smiling wide for the camera. Taehyun looked up at beomgyu with a slight flush on his face that only beomgyu could see since they were so close. Hyuka wrapped an arm around beomgyu’s waist, and one around yeonjun’s arm. And soobin made a peace sign with his fingers. 

Taehyung and jungkook snapped many pictures, and soon everyone walked around idly and admired the view while taking a break. 

Yeonjun went to look at the pictures that wooyoung was currently scrolling through. 

“You know when you and your friends take a picture and you look at it and you’re like ‘ehhh i dont look great in that’??” yeonjun asked the small group around him and wooyoung.

San nodded in understanding. “All the time bro,” he laughed, reaching a fist out to fist-bump yeonjun. 

“Yeah what's that like?” yeonjun asked with a mischievous grin. He was obviously kidding, but laughed at his own joke anyways. 

San stopped his fist bump in mid air and wooyoung snorted out loud, laughing uncontrollably with giggles. 

“Oh stop it yeonjun, you are being such a tease~” wooyoung slapped yeonjun’s arm playfully. 

“You think you are some kind of photogenic pretty boy and the rest of us are radishes compared to you?! Thats it, taehyun grab his arms, code blue!” hyuka screeched. 

"what's code blue?" san asked wooyoung as the two younger members tackled yeonjun. 

"I think they are talking about his hair..." wooyoung tried to guess. neither boy made a move to help yeonjun's impending doom.

Taehyun gripped yeonjun’s arms and forced them behind his back. And then hyuka attacked him with tickles, making him giggle and snort, his face flushing. He was actually stronger than taehyun when it came to upper body strength, but he let the younger boy have his glory moment anyways.

“Ok, ok! I surrender, i surrender!” yeonjun laughed really loudly, his voice echoing in the forest. “Soobin! Help! The maknaes are ganging up on me! Beomgyu!”

“Do you hear something gyu?” soobin asked, turning the other way and looking off into the distance. 

“Sorry, i thought i was considered the enemy,” beomgyu sniffed, letting yeonjun suffer. 

“I will remember this,” yeonjun sneered, wiggling his way out of taehyun’s hold, and then kicking at hyuka. He ended up chasing them around the small gathering, shoving people heartlessly (but not hard) out of his way to get the two little weasels. Hyuka’s screech and taehyun’s giggles could be heard all around. 

“They seem to be having fun,” jungkook said to taehyung.

“Yeah, they do,” taehyung smiled.

**

It was currently the day before they were supposed to perform their small joint projects with their partners, and soobin was trailing after hyuka to try and get some unhealthy snacks. They stealthily swerved around the cafeteria, making it look like they were leaving after only getting a bottle of water, but then expertly coming back around to duck behind the pantry shelves. 

There were still other club members hanging around the cafeteria, but nobody was paying them any mind. 

With quick and slick hands, hyuka snatched the last pack of crackers on the shelf while soobin was playing watch guard. They giggled when he retrieved it effortlessly, and soon split the pack in half and began munching. 

When it was safe and soobin had eaten most of his crackers, they exited from behind the shelves and walked casually through the cafeteria like they did nothing wrong. Still, nobody bothered to look over at the two thieves. 

Until soobin heard a loud gasp. 

“There you are! Ive been looking all over for you-” yeonjun began, stomping closer to soobin. “You were supposed to help me stretch my back and-” then he paused, deathly still, like a lion ready to pounce on its prey. “What’s that in your mouth?” he asked, dead serious. 

“Nothing,” soobin gulped, chewing quickly. 

“Are those snacks? And you’re eating them without me?” yeonjun asked. The few people in the cafeteria all stopped to watch what the commotion was about. 

Soobin feinted left, and then right, but yeonjun blocked him both times. He still had the wrapper in his hand. 

“You didnt share?” yeonjun asked. 

Since soobin had nowhere to go, he stood up straight, a playful glint in his eyes. Then without remorse, he teased yeonjun, taking his last cracker out of the wrapper and biting the edge, taunting him. 

Yeonjun finally lost it and lunged. He gripped soobin’s shirt and rose on his tip toes, and then bit the half that was sticking out of soobin’s pouty lips. Soobin was surprised by the abruptness, his hands immediately going out to grip yeonjun’s waist and steady him against his body. But yeonjun’s petty temper took him a step farther. He pressed his lips firmly to soobin’s, stealing all of the cracker in one go. Then he licked the salt and crumbs off of soobin’s bottom lip, taking a quick step back afterwards. He smirked at soobin and chewed. 

There, take that. Nobody eats snacks without _The Choi Yeonjun_ getting some of it. 

Soobin stood there dumbfounded for a second, licking his own lips while blushing. 

But then he snapped out of the intimate and cute moment when he realized his cracker was gone. 

Nobody takes his food out from directly under his nose, not even _The Choi Yeonjun!_

“Dammit Choi Yeonjun! That was the last one!” he yelled.

Yeonjun cackled as he ran away, soobin chasing him in a hunt to the death. 

Hyuka just rolled his eyes, swiping the _other_ pack of crackers that soobin didnt know about. He smirked evilly as he whistled and passed the other students by, leaving the cafeteria and heading back to his cabin to get ready for practice while munching happily.

**

Later that afternoon, everyone had to pair off one last time to practice for their performances the next day. 

Yeonjun was standing in a group with seungmin and wooyoung, as well as seonghwa and jeongin. He was going over last minute details with seungmin, who was surprisingly easy to work with since they were both very serious about their performances, no matter how small the project. 

Once he was finished with that, he heard a commotion heading towards him from across the room.

Soobin was full on sprinting through the door and right for yeonjun. He heard san yelling after him. 

“Why are you running? _Why_ are you running?!” san called to soobin, speed walking towards him from across the practice room. 

“You will never get me to practice dancing that _god awful_ dance any longer!” soobin declared, stopping briefly in front of yeonjun to give him a peck on the cheek, and then continuing to sprint as fast as his long tree trunk legs could take him, which was actually pretty far. Yeonjun was impressed just how much distance soobin can put in when he doesnt want to do something with his whole heart. 

San walked up next to yeonjun, huffing out a breath of frustration. “I keep telling him that this dance performance would be perfect for him, but he insists its torture and always tries to escape me. We need to practice a few more times to get it right!” 

“Is the dance really that hard?” yeonjun asked. He was getting curious now. Everybody has been doing their own thing for little over a week now and he honestly has no idea what type of performance san created for him and soobin. Sure, he’s heard soobin complain, bitch, and whine the entire time, but he has no details at all. 

San smirked. “I think everyone is going to like it, especially you, if that’s what you mean.” 

Yeonjun wanted to question him further, maybe tell him to ease off of soobin a bit since he wasnt a dance major. But for once in his life, he decided to take a step back. To let someone else handle things for a change. Plus he was really really curious now on why soobin is acting so cute like a child. 

So yeonjun merely sighed in defeat. “I’ll go get him for you,” he told san, getting ready to jog after his boyfriend. He knew exactly where he was going to be.

Meanwhile:

Taehyun slammed open the door to their cabin, putting his hands on his hips at the sight in front of him. 

“Here you are. We have to do last minute preparations for our performances tomorrow,” he lectured the boy who was currently snuggling into his blanket. The said boy paused, the blanket halfway over his body. 

“Yeah, yeah, im coming,” beomgyu said as he slowly lowered his head onto his pillow and began to pull the comforter closer to his chin. 

“Beomgyu...you are literally getting even comfier under your blankets, who the hell do you think you are fooling?” taehyun sighed, walking over to beomgyu’s bed. “Come on, we’re gonna be late,” he tried yanking the blankets from beomgyu’s body mercilessly. 

Beomgyu sat up from bed, pouting that his secret nap was going to be ruined now. “Bruh, chill, i dont know why you gotta be in such a Big Time Rush- ow, ow, owieeee, ok im going, im going, i promise i wont make that joke again, taehyunnie pleaseeee-” he begged as taehyun gripped him by the ear and began to pull hard. 

**

The next day came a lot sooner than soobin thought it would. He was pacing back and forth in the room they were using as a styling room. He still has to put on his outfit. 

Yes, everyone heard that correctly: his outfit. As in costume. 

Even though this was just a little project, Big Hit University, school of performing arts, did not hold back on anything, no matter how small. The performances were going to be recorded and the videos uploaded to the university’s official social media so that companies and scouts might happen to click on it and offer their students a position with them if they were interested. It was all proper marketing and advertisement, and honestly it was genius to soobin.

But that also meant soobin was going to be in the spotlight, something he wasnt completely comfortable with still. 

_But no,_ he was going to remain positive. This wasn’t an official competition, not like last year, and he needs the extra practice. This was his dream, and every little bit helps. 

Ok, so soobin was being a bit dramatic when he said ‘costume’. It was actually skin tight but flowy clothes that contemporary dancers wear, which is what he supposes he is now, no thanks to san. He fiddled with his styled hair and adjusted the soft material of his leggings, his body full of nervous jitters. He almost breathed out a huge breath of relief when he noticed taehyun walk into the room. 

“Please help…” he pleaded to the younger boy. No matter what taehyun does, he is always confident, and soobin could really use some of that energy right now. 

Taehyun’s eyes softened, and he reached out to wrap his arm around soobin’s. “You will be fine hyung. Just do exactly as you practiced. This is just an exercise for us to try out different styles and get out of our comfort zone. Not even san is 100% confident in his contemporary dancing.” taehyun rubbed soobin’s arm up and down, trying to relieve some of the stress. 

“Easy for you to say, you have a duet with felix,” soobin mumbled, leaning more into taehyun. 

Taehyun chuckled. “Believe it or not, working with felix was actually challenging. Felix is a rapper with a deep voice, but he also has a hidden side to himself. He can sing beautifully, but just like you he isnt all that confident in his abilities. He’s stepping out of his comfort zone. Getting him to harmonize with me was a bit of a struggle, but we got there.” 

“Still, i bet the others are doing good…” soobin still tried to argue. 

Taehyun rolled his eyes. “Beomgyu had to somehow work with jeongin in producing a song in a genre he wasnt completely familiar with. Jeongin likes slow ballad songs on the piano. Beomgyu likes folksy type of upbeat songs, so that was sort of complicated. I had to hear all about it last night. Yeonjun decided to pass on dancing this time and instead focus on his rapping. He let seungmin take over the vocal parts completely. And hyuka, well, chan is making hyuka do nothing but rap, which he’s never even tried in front of others before today. So hyung, you arent the only one. We all are trying something new, the most important thing is to just have fun with your partner and have fun with the music. Because that’s what it all comes down to...having fun and doing what you love, right?” 

Soobin breathed in, and then breathed out. Then he yanked on taehyun and pulled him into a tight hug, crushing the smaller boy. “Thanks taehyunnie. You have such a pretty way with words, and know exactly what to say.” 

Taehyun hugged him back, squeezing tight. 

“I bet yeonjun hyung will have a heart attack seeing your dance performance,” he laughed lightly. 

“You are just exaggerating,” soobin replied, trying not to flush.

**

Yeonjun stopped what he was whispering to beomgyu, and blinked at the stage. 

His mouth dropped open, and beomgyu snickered when he reached over to shut it for the older boy. 

“Is that soobin?” he hissed, the lights in the room going dark so that only the front of the room was lit up, just like it has been done about ten times before soobin and san stepped up to the stage. Everybody was taking their turn, performing their joint projects and evaluating each other afterwards.

To be honest, yeonjun hasnt seen soobin all day, and he was growing restless. He hates not knowing where he was or just being around him in general. But he was too preoccupied working with seungmin, and then giving hyuka some last minute pointers on his rap segment, and he was just too busy to go and seek out his boyfriend before the performances began. 

The whole thing was well organized, thanks to kim seokjin and park jimin. Jungkook was filming every single performance, and taehyung was watching and evaluating from the back of the room. Even kim namjoon, min yoongi and jung hoseok made an appearance to help with the judging. Plus they just wanted to ditch their current duties and play around at a retreat with taehyung and jungkook, they werent fooling anybody. 

Once each pair of performances was done, they were critiqued and given feedback on which areas they need to improve in. nobody was left out, everybody had something to work better on, which made the usually competitive atmosphere easy-going and light-hearted. Soobin was relieved, because he hated always being yelled at in front of the other students when they barely got a comment in their direction. It kind of heightened his fear of performing back in first year. 

Thankfully, jungkook and taehyung revised that aspect of their programs. They changed lots of things around the university, making it a smoother and more enjoyable place to be at. It was part of the reason why soobin wanted to run for president after they graduated, to continue on what they started. Students shouldn’t have to fear their fellow classmates, they should be able to interact and learn from each other. 

So taking a deep breath, and a reassuring hand squeeze from san, soobin got into formation, waiting for the music to start. 

Soobin’s performance...it was not what yeonjun (or anyone really) was expecting. It was...breathtaking. There really was no other word for it, and yeonjun couldnt take his eyes off of him or form a coherent thought at the moment to come up with a better description.

Soobin and san were wearing longsleeve flowy black silk shirts that were almost see-through, and tight black leggings to allow easy movement. The bottom half of their faces were covered with matching see-through black silk scarves, making their eyes look fierce and the focal point for the beginning of the dance. Soobin looked stunning in his outfit, the material clinging to his long well-toned legs in a way that made yeonjun’s mouth dry up. His long sleeved shirt was a v-neck that settled delicately on his collarbones, and his hair was actually styled back and showing his forehead for once. 

“Wow,” beomgyu whispered next to him. The entire room went dead silent, all eyes on san and soobin. 

“Yeah. wow,” yeonjun whispered back.

The music was a heart breaking and pretty song, one filled with classical orchestral instruments and a sad melody to go along with it. The choreography was loose and expressive. Both dancers’ facial expressions changed with the song once they tore their silk coverings off, trying to portray a story to go along with it. Soobin and san danced around each other, gripping each other’s hands, only to tear them away in a dramatic move. It looked like they were two lovers, crossing paths and then eventually forced to part.

The dance did not go on for long, barely three minutes, but it felt like an eternity to yeonjun. In his eyes, Soobin ate up the entire stage, his presence so strong and impactful.

A thrum of excitement suddenly traveled down yeonjun’s body, to the tips of his fingers and toes. His leg bounced from adrenaline, his mind racing a mile a minute. 

Then finally, once the performance was finished and the lights were back on, soobin and san received tons of applause and praise, but also some critiques here and there. They werent professional contemporary dancers after all, and they only had a week to prepare this performance. 

However, yeonjun did not pay any mind to what was going on in the room. Instead, he was lost in thought. A smile graced his lips, an honest and very genuine smile took form on his face and didnt leave for a long time. His eyes were sparkling. 

His goals were changing. His plans for life, plans that he so carefully crafted with detailed precision, were taking on a new shape. 

He wants more of what he just saw. He wants more of _soobin._

He wants to see soobin up there on that stage, shining brighter than any of them. And he wants to be right there next to him in the spotlight. 

Yeonjun wasn’t afraid of this new feeling in his chest, instead he welcomed the way his heart was beating and pulse racing a mile a minute. He supposes this thought, this _desire,_ has been slowly bubbling to the surface, ever since the first day he met soobin. 

Everything was suddenly clear to yeonjun now:

He has always been the best at everything. Ever since his first year at Big Hit Performing Arts, he was number one in singing, rapping, and especially dancing. He is ambitious and competitive, and nothing is going to stop him from rising to the top. 

Nobody can even compare to him. Nobody can compete with him. Nobody has been able to tilt him off his axis.

Well, nobody except Choi Soobin.

And now….

Now, he no longer wants to perform on stage by himself. He no longer wants to be at the top. He doesn’t want to be lonely up there anymore. Instead, he wants to share the stage with soobin, maybe a few others. He wants to be side by side with people he cares about, performing to their heart’s content with something they love to do. He wants to hold soobin’s hand as they wave to the crowd, and he wants to achieve all his dreams and chase all of his passions...

And he wants to do it with soobin, _together._


	10. Chapter Ten

Beomgyu yawned, throwing back his blankets to get ready for bed. The performances yesterday were exhausting, and to make matters worse, their last day of this retreat was no walk in the park either. Finally, he could cuddle under his blankets and sleep. Once his head hits the pillow, he knows without a doubt he will be out like a light.

He brought a knee up to place on top of the mattress, when suddenly out of nowhere, he was choking.

"Wha-" he began to say as a strong arm wrapped around his neck and a strong force tackled him from behind so that he was flipped and lying on his back on the bed. He was pinned and couldn't move.

"Aw come on taehyunnie! I'm too tired to play with you! Did you seriously have to wrestle me?" Beomgyu complained.

Taehyun ignored him and climbed on top, straddling him and placing his hands on either side of beomgyu's head. He was silent, but his eyes were roaming everywhere, watching, studying him closely like prey. 

Beomgyu complained some more and wiggled a bit to get out of the embrace, but it was no use. He was too tired to really do anything about it, and taehyun had him completely caged underneath him. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, beomgyu made eye contact with taehyun, shutting his mouth and staring back at the younger boy. The playful moment took on a more serious note. Taehyun was all business. 

Beomgyu’s eyes softened as he reached up to trace his fingertips down taehyun's cheekbone. "What is it, hyun?" He asked carefully.

"Why are you ignoring me?" Taehyun finally spoke. His lips were pursed into a grim line and his eyes were still on beomgyu's face. The second beomgyu changes expression, he will know. 

"I don't know what you mean. I'm not ignoring you," beomgyu replied. But he made a mistake. His fingers stilled just the slightest on taehyun’s face, and his body tensed up just the teeniest bit.

"You're lying, hyung. I can tell. You barely talked to me after the performances yesterday, and today you kept yourself busy with our training. Plus you didn't tell me how your day went right before we went to bed. Don't think I didn't notice something is up. Now spit it out," taehyun said bluntly. He sat his full weight onto beomgyu, further pressing him into the mattress. That was a clear indication that he had no intentions of going anywhere any time soon.

Beomgyu blinked innocent eyes back up at taehyun, and he held his breath for a few seconds, releasing it into the air between them when he saw how determined taehyun was. 

Ugh, why is this boy so precious?! Beomgyu thought he was doing such a good job of hiding it! 

Beomgyu snaked his arms in-between them and slid his hands up taehyun's thighs, settling them there for now. 

"It's stupid," he mumbled, looking away slightly so he wouldn't have to meet taehyun's piercing gaze.

"Hyung," taehyun warned, "it's not stupid. Now tell me what's wrong. What's on your mind so much that you aren't giving me attention," he pouted. He was trying a different tactic now, and dammit beomgyu was falling for it. 

"I'm upset," he murmured. 

"With me?" Taehyun pried some more. 

Beomgyu's eyes widened. "No! No, not with you. Just..in general…" he trailed off.

Taehyun groaned, he was growing impatient. "Beomgyu! Knock it off and just tell me! I'm not going to move from this spot until you let me know what's bothering you!" 

Beomgyu smirked, deflecting from his predicament once more. "Maybe I don't want you to move from this spot, you look gorgeous on top of me- ow, ow, ow ok I'll tell you, ok I'm sorry I won't do it again!" He begged as taehyun gripped his ear and pulled harshly. 

"Normally that would have worked on me, but not this time," taehyun hissed. He was scary when he was mad, but beomgyu also kind of liked it. 

"You and Felix sounded really good together yesterday during your duet!" Beomgyu blurted out, panting from the exertion of the admission.

Taehyun let go of his ear, blinking in surprise. "Thank...you??" He wasn't quite sure why the compliment was suddenly the source of beomgyu's sour mood. 

Beomgyu moved his head to the side, not looking at taehyun anymore. "You both harmonized really really well, and I didn't know Felix could sing so prettily. His deep voice complimented yours almost perfectly, which isn't fair since he's supposed to be a rapper…and you both looked really good together up there, like two fairies..." he continued to ramble.

Taehyun's mind was whirling, trying to figure out where beomgyu was going with this. It sounded like praise and great things, so then why is he all upset and pouting and-

"Beomgyu...are you..jealous?" Taehyun asked cautiously. 

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that," beomgyu mumbled really quietly. He moved his hands so that he was now fiddling with the strings of taehyun's hoodie, not giving the other boy eye contact. 

"You do know that Felix and changbin are together and in a happy, although somewhat psychotically crazy, relationship?" Taehyun questioned further. Why in hell would beomgyu be jealous when Felix is so very very taken. And oh ya…he and beomgyu are kind of dating too????? 

"I want to be the one singing with you…" he whispered really quietly, to the point taehyun almost didn't catch it. 

"I didnt like that his deeper voice harmonized with yours, because my deeper voice should be the only one that sounds good with you…" he continued to babble like a child. 

Oh. 

Taehyun was silent for a few more seconds, and then he giggled. The sound was so pretty and unexpected that beomgyu stopped his fiddling and looked up with a furrowed brow. 

"That's the stupidest yet most adorable thing I've ever heard," taehyun giggled again, leaning his upper body down so that the tip of his nose was brushing beomgyu's.

"I don't think my misery should be very funny to you," beomgyu hissed out, his breath hitting taehyun's lips.

"Hyung, you're jealous because I was up there on the stage singing with Felix instead of with you? Why didn't you just say so! It's just a stupid project anyways, I don't know why you are so upset."

"Because it was recorded and uploaded to social media, so now everyone will see you with someone else who isn't me…" beomgyu explained. 

Taehyun smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners and his pretty teeth showing. He leaned in and pecked beomgyu on the lips. "It goes both ways, beomgyu. Now you know how I felt when I thought you were writing a song for jeongin." 

Beomgyu frowned even though taehyun pecked him quickly on the lips once more, then again but this time a second longer, and again but this time even _longer_ , until he was finally coaxing beomgyu to kiss him back completely. Then taehyun hummed with content when beomgyu finally deepened the kiss, his hands reaching around to grip taehyun’s waist. 

They stayed like that for quite a long time, until taehyun finally rolled off beomgyu and they cuddled close to each other to go to sleep. Beomgyu pulled the blanket over the both of them, and then buried his nose into taehyun's neck while wrapping an arm around his waist so that the younger boy was trapped against his body. 

Not that taehyun minded. 

**

Yeonjun's teeth chattered in the early morning chill as the buses were being loaded with all of their stuff. He rubbed his arms, trying to bring warmth back into them.

The retreat was finally at an end, and everyone was getting ready to go.

"Hyung, why don't you just go and ask soobin hyung for one of his jackets? You know he probably has like, three of them on right now since he's always a freeze baby," hyuka told him, sipping a warm cup of coffee with caramel syrup and whipped cream. 

Wait, where did he even get something so delicious like that first thing in the morning? 

Yeonjun chose to ignore hyuka's uncanny ability for swiping anything he wanted and focused on his current problem. 

He bit his bottom lip and wrapped a smaller long sleeved shirt (courtesy of hueningkai taking pity on him) around him, his teeth chattering. "Listen, I'm willing to do a lot of things, but admitting to soobin I'm cold after he told me to bring a jacket isn't one of them."

Hyuka snorted into his cup of coffee, choosing to ignore yeonjun now. 

Yeonjun frowned when he saw that the dance club members were lining up to go back onto their bus, and the music club members were in a different line across the parking lot getting ready to board their own bus too. Separately. 

Yeah no, he isnt sitting on a bus for like, three hours without soobin. 

The solution to his problem came in the form of his best friend and lovely dongsaeng, Kang Taehyun, casually walking by to go towards his side of the parking lot. 

Like a viper, yeonjun’s hand shot out, grabbing the younger boy’s arm with an iron grip. Somebody was going to have to pry it away from his cold dead body before he lets go. 

“What the hell hyung?” taehyun said, glaring at yeonjun’s death grip.

Yeonjun leaned in closer, almost menacingly, and muttered into taehyun’s ear so no one (except hyuka) could hear them. 

“Switch buses with me on the ride home,” he demanded. 

Taehyun raised a brow, not even phased. “No. we could get yelled at if we arent on the right bus. You know, for attendance and all that shit-”

“You can have my spot next to beomgyu,” yeonjun bartered, cutting off taehyun’s lecture on proper school rules. 

“Say no more,” taehyun said, and they high-fived. 

Then yeonjun reached out and grabbed hueningkai’s coffee out of his hand, right as the other boy was about to raise it to his lips, chugged a big gulp, handed it back, and then shook himself out. 

“Ok guys, im going in,” he declared, trying to blend in with the music club members...even though he still has blue hair and towers over almost all of the other students. He hissed and glared at any of the others who dared point out he wasnt allowed on the bus, but most of the students rolled their eyes at his antics now. 

Hyuka snorted and shrugged, heading in the direction yeonjun went in. taehyun was the only one left alone, until he decided to board the dance member’s bus. His quick eyes scanned the crowd until he spotted who he was looking for. 

And then they darkened when they noticed a not so familiar head of hair next to him. 

He made his way to the back of the bus, easily side stepping around everyone in the center aisle. Then he landed a strong hand on the shoulder next to the boy who thought he was going to get all cozy with beomgyu. 

“Move.” he said, glaring daggers at the random dancer he doesnt care to remember. 

“No man, this is my spot-”

“Taehyunnie! Oh my gosh! What are you doing here?” beomgyu smiled brightly at him. Taehyun melted at the look of love and adoration on the other boy’s face and he smiled back. Then his smile dropped and he glared once more at the body still sitting next to beomgyu. 

“Did i stutter? Why are you still breathing the same air as him?” taehyun almost growled. 

The other boy just huffed and then relented, getting up and going to find a different spot to sit. 

Taehyun happily took the now vacant seat, getting himself comfortable. He noticed a giggle next to him, and his eyes met beomgyu’s. 

“That wasnt very nice hyun,” beomgyu laughed behind his hand. 

“I dont care,” taehyun told him straight up. Then he reached over and gripped beomgyu’s hand. Beomgyu happily slipped his fingers inbetween taehyun’s and settled into his side to get warm. Like soobin, beomgyu doesnt handle the cold very well. 

If jungkook noticed that taehyun wasn’t on the right bus, he didnt say anything. 

**

“I told you to bring a jacket, you arent as subtle as you think hyung,” soobin chuckled lightly, taking off his sweatshirt and handing it to yeonjun. Yeonjun was thrilled putting it on. He loved how much bigger and more comfy soobin’s clothes were compared to his own, and plus soobin smelled really good for some reason. 

“Whatever,” yeonjun mumbled, and then stuck to soobin’s side like glue. Soobin didnt mind though.

Soon they both fell asleep, getting a few chuckles and looks of adoration from the students around them. And maybe, just maybe, hyuka turned around in his seat in front of them and snapped some secret pictures to post online later. 

**

Soobin dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. He’s been dancing for at least 7 hours now, and he felt like his lungs were about to burst. 

However, this was not him being dramatic like the past few weeks. This was him being serious, he honestly felt like his limbs became jello, and his shirt was drenched in sweat….this was the third shirt today. 

He and yeonjun were partnered up together for the competition at the end of the semester. It was important that they kick YG university’s ass, and they also had to keep their eye on JYP university as well. They were strong competitors and should not be taken lightly. Big Hit was out for blood this year.

Being partnered with yeonjun was both a blessing...and a curse. Because even though soobin gets to dance and perform with the same person he likes a lot and looks up to, yeonjun was also a perfectionist and a demon, which meant serious business and no time to joke around. 

Yeonjun crouched on the ground, panting just as hard as soobin. Sweat dripped from his face onto the floor and he had to shut his eyes briefly to make the dizziness go away. 

“Again,” yeonjun said with a hoarse voice. 

They were torturing their bodies, but soobin didnt complain. He somehow managed to get back on his feet and do the routine all over again with yeonjun. 

Ten minutes later, soobin heard yeonjun’s voice break the silence. 

“Again,” he said in between gasps of air. 

And so soobin did it again. And again. And again. 

But that’s the thing about yeonjun. Even though he was ruthless with the dancing, and even though he made soobin do it continuously, he was right there with soobin. Each time soobin had to do it over, yeonjun would also do it over. He worked just as hard. He was just as tired. He didnt stand there and twiddle his thumbs or stand idly by while soobin learned the choreography. He didnt look down on soobin and think he was better than everybody else just because he probably learned this choreography hours ago. 

Yeonjun wasn’t like that.

So, being the kind and caring person that soobin was, he stopped the music and walked over to yeonjun who was bent over, hands on his knees. Honestly, the boy looked like he was going to pass out. He went straight from his classes, to dance practice, to practicing with soobin. He’s been going for almost 24 hours straight. 

“Hyung, that’s enough. You should go back to your dorm and rest. Ill work on the choreography myself for a few more hours. Im the one holding us back anyways. You dont even need to be here, you are already dancing the routine flawlessly,” soobin tried to tell him gently. He knows how touchy yeonjun can be when people tell him what to do. He was stubborn like that. 

And now that yeonjun was in full-on competitive mode for the competition, he was like a rabid animal you had to carefully and softly approach, otherwise you might get your hand chopped off.

Yeonjun scoffed, looking up at soobin. But instead of anger like he completely expected, soobin saw excitement in his eyes. 

“You think i got good at dancing by standing here and watching the rest of them? No! I was right there with them, doing the steps over and over no matter how basic and easy they were. No matter how good people said I was, no matter how many times they told me I could take a break, I refused. Remember this soobin: there will always be someone better than you out there somewhere, just sitting around waiting for you to fall and make a mistake, and then take your spot. And never forget it. Never think you are safe.”

Soobin sighed, plopping down on the floor. Yeonjun was right, and he didnt have an argument against it. 

“Ok, i understand that, but this routine is very awkward for me. It doesnt seem to flow as nicely as it should,” soobin mumbled, wiping back his sweaty bangs. 

Yeonjun snapped his head at him, surprise on his face. 

“What?” soobin asked, not being able to decipher yeonjun’s facial expression. 

“Nothing im just...shocked that we were thinking the same thing. You’ve come so far to be able to notice small details like that, and i couldnt be prouder. Its like watching my own kid growing up,” yeonjun fake sniffled, wiping away an imaginary tear. 

Soobin rolled his eyes, reaching for a water bottle to drink from. He was super hungry, but if he was going to dance this tough choreography in a few weeks, his joints will thank him for not adding on the extra weight. It was better to be underweight in these situations with intense choreography. He can stuff himself silly with food in just a short month after everything was over and done with. 

Speaking of just a short month away, the elections for council president is just around the corner, and soobin and yeonjun still had full intentions of running. Since their somewhat feud was pretty much over and forgotten with, yeonjun technically didnt have to run anymore, but he told soobin that ‘quitting’ was never in _The Choi Yeonjun’s_ dictionary, and so he will continue with his campaign. 

Which also means hyuka and the rest of them will be running still as well. They were pretty much in this together as a team, and honestly they all preferred it that way. 

Which got soobin thinking…

“Hyung…” he called over, gaining yeonjun’s attention and snapping him out of whatever thoughts he was in.

“What if we are going about this all wrong?” soobin asked. 

“Soobin, we are doing the choreography almost perfectly, i dont know what could go wrong-”

“No, not that. Maybe the choreography that jungkook hyung gave us is wrong. I think it would look better if there were more people dancing to it, not just you and me. If we fill in the sides with more bodies, it would look more balanced and well-rounded...is just my thought,” soobin trailed off quietly. If his face wasnt already flushed and sweaty, he would have blushed at the weird fish look yeonjun was giving him. 

Yeonjun was oddly quiet for once, and soobin almost thought he said something wrong. 

But then yeonjun’s entire face lit up, and the excitement was back in his eyes and a wide smile spread across his lips. 

“Soobin, have i ever told you how much i love you?” 

Soobin definitely blushed now.

**

About a week later, yeonjun was happily rushing back from the student council’s office, in a hurry to see soobin who is most likely in his dorm room right now. 

Yes, you heard that correctly. He came back from seeing the student council president and vice president. 

Or really, it was just taehyung and jungkook hyungs at this point. 

Yeonjun spent the last 45 minutes talking to them about soobin’s idea, and finally, _finally_ got permission to include three more people into their choreography routine, ultimately making a team for the both of them. They had to go over all of the rules and criteria of the dance competition to make sure it was allowed. They didnt need something stupid happening and then get disqualified at the end of the day. Once it was deemed safe to basically do whatever the hell they wanted because they were Big HIt Performing Arts dammit, yeonjun happily skipped out of their office and bee-lined it back to soobin to tell him the good news. 

This was never done before, having three music majors and two dance majors team up at the end of the year to compete for _one_ trophy. Yeonjun grinned evilly. Beomgyu, taehyun, and hyuka better be prepared for a world of hurt (not really) because the next few weeks are going to be intense and brutal.

As he was crossing campus, he got a call on his phone. Pulling it out, he noticed the number and immediately frowned. 

Reluctantly, he answered. 

“Mom?” 

**

If yeonjun wasn’t so angry, he probably would be embarrassed in this moment. 

He was currently standing outside near the main entrance’s parking lot, in front of anybody who happens to walk past (it was the main entrance, so a lot of people are walking by), glaring at his mother. Gone was his happy mood at getting soobin’s idea approved, gone was his excitement at finally seeing soobin after a long ass day, and in it’s place was resentment, a little bit of hatred, and a whole lot of irritation. 

“What are these?” his mother demanded, showing him pictures on her phone. Probably taken from social media. He was actually more surprised she cared enough to keep tabs on him than he was at the pictures that were uploaded. 

Staring back at him was a camera roll with pictures of him and soobin, taken periodically by people on campus during their time ‘dating’. 

“Answer me!” his mother yelled. 

“They are pictures of me and my boyfriend, Choi Soobin,” yeonjun answered in an almost robotic voice. A few people walking by flinched at his mother’s shriek, but he didn't pay any mind to them. 

Without notice, right there in front of anyone watching, she slapped yeonjun’s face. He flinched from the impact but otherwise did not react. His eyes were cold and devoid of emotion as he moved his mouth, trying to get the stinging pain to go away.

“You think i send you here to fraternize with boys and have a good time? Do you?”

Yeonjun refused to answer, his vision unfocusing. 

“I want you to break up with him. I looked into his family and background, and honestly i dont know what in god’s name you were thinking of dating someone like that. He’s a nobody, and it ends here right now. You’ve had your fun, now focus on getting first place in the upcoming competitions. You only have one more year here and then your career as a star will take off. Do i make myself clear? Otherwise im pulling you out of this university,” she threatened him, yet again. 

Always dangling the fact that his dreams could only come true with her help.

His mother continued to babble and scold him for another minute, not even bothered that there were people staring at them as they passed. She was too entitled to care about what others thought of her. His cheek stung, and he’s pretty sure there was a harsh red spot where her hand made contact. 

However, one single thing continued to ring out in his mind, blocking out his thoughts. 

Break up with soobin?

Never see him again?

And how dare she disrespect his boyfriend, calling him a nobody?!

Soobin meant more to yeonjun than anybody else in his entire world.

Yeonjun has wanted many things in his life. He wanted to be number one, he wanted to be irreplaceable. But out of all of those things he’s ever wanted, nothing was greater than his want for soobin. From the moment he met him, he’s always had his eye on him. And yeonjun would gladly give up everything in a heartbeat if it meant he could be with soobin. 

Somehow, that was both an enlightening and scary thought. 

So when his mother told him to break up with soobin? That was the last straw. It was the push yeonjun needed to finally stand up for himself and assert himself. He’s been bullied for far too long. 

The familiar anger and intensity returned to his eyes, and he cut his mother off mid-sentence. 

“No.” 

She looked at him in shock. “No?” 

“No, i will not break up with him. Soobin is important to me, and i will not tolerate you treating him with disrespect. This is not a casual fling, or a shallow relationship. I love soobin, and im going to continue being with him for as long as he will have me.”

“And what if i cut you off from my money and pull you out of this school?” his mother questioned, squinting her eyes at her son. 

“Then i will find another way. You cant keep me from doing the things i love, and your money is no longer a threat. Right now, the things i love involves soobin and dancing. Not you.” 

“So what are you trying to say to me?” 

“Im saying that i will continue to do as you ask. I will continue to strive to be at the top. But im not doing it for you, im doing it for myself. And now, this time i dont want to do it alone. If i cant be with soobin up there on that stage, then i dont really see the point,” he shrugged. 

“You do realize that this could backfire on you? Thats a stupid gamble you are playing. What if something happens to you and this boy later on? What if you dont end up together on that stage? You would have wasted all this time and effort for nothing. Its better to just focus on yourself-”

“I already thought of all of that. You’re right, it _is_ stupid to think like that. But i dont care. Soobin is it for me, and its either him or nothing,” yeonjun told her clearly, his eyes never wavering and his voice never hesitating. 

They had a stare-off for a solid minute before they were interrupted by his mother’s phone ringing. She finally huffed, looking away from him. 

“Dont come crying to me if everything you worked for comes crashing down on you. I’m warning you this will end badly. The moment things dont work out for you, im cutting you off from my money,” she told him, turning her back and starting to walk towards her car where her driver was waiting. 

Yeonjun didnt care. He was more surprised she actually is willing to continue paying for his university education. He supposes she invested too much into her son to back out so soon. And he has no doubt she will follow through on her promise of basically kicking him to the curb the minute he doesnt prove himself to be useful for her obsession of social status and money. 

Yeonjun watched her car drive away, and he let out a shuttering breath. He was emotionally drained and exhausted. 

Not caring about the few people that were nosy enough to hang around and watch the little show, he finally spun on his heel and headed straight for soobin. His face maintained one of neutrality, not giving anything away to his emotions swirling inside. 

**

Soobin jumped when his dorm room door opened up and then shut. He was lying on his couch flipping through tv channels, his only time to take a break before he had to head to the dance practice rooms to spend another grueling 7 hours with yeonjun on their routine. 

He glanced up from his spot to see which one of the others decided to bother him this time when he instantly became alarmed.

For the first time in a long while, yeonjun’s eyes started to water, blurring out soobin’s face slightly. He stood in the doorway, and just seeing him there made him want to break down crying. 

“Hyung?” soobin called out, getting up to walk over to yeonjun. “Hyung what’s wrong?” 

On instinct, he wrapped yeonjun up into a warm hug, burying his face in his chest. It was times like these that yeonjun is reminded just how much bigger soobin is compared to himself, and he likes it a lot. So naturally, he started crying a little bit. 

“Soobinnie, you arent going to leave me, are you?” he asked, his voice muffled against soobin’s shirt. 

“What?” soobin said, totally confused. 

“I know i can be annoying and have a really bad temper, but im also pretty. That has to count for something, right?” yeonjun sniffled, using soobin’s shirt to blow his nose. 

Soobin decided to ignore that disgusting action for the time being. “Im not leaving you, what the hell? Yeonjun, you need to quit being so dramatic and tell me what’s going on.” 

“My mom told me to break up with you and then slapped my face. She must have seen all those pictures of us together around campus,” he cried a little bit more. 

“She did what?!” soobin said, pulling away a little bit so that he could get a better look at yeonjun’s face. Yep, there was definitely a red spot there, on top of yeonjun’s puffy red eyes from crying. 

Without a word, soobin pulled away completely and headed straight for the bathroom. He took a washcloth and ran it under cold water, rung it out, and then walked back. 

“Dont worry, i t-told her i wasnt breaking up with you. And i basically told her that i dont care about being all by myself anymore. I w-want to perform on stage with you and the other three idiots,” yeonjun continued to sob, a few tears trailing down his face. 

Soobin ignored his rambling, and moved yeonjun to his couch. Then he gently wiped both of yeonjun’s cheeks and then placed the cool cloth on his sore cheek to help with the redness. 

“Yeonjun, i dont care about your mom trying to break us up. Its going to take more than that to threaten the both of us. What im more concerned about is how she hit you. Do you need some pain killers? How about an ice pack? Some water? taehyun, beomgyu and hyuka to go and threaten her or something?” soobin carefully took the cloth off of his face and examined it, then put it back on to help with the swelling. 

“N-no,” yeonjun mumbled. “Thanks,” he whispered really softly. 

Once yeonjun was calmed down, soobin finally decided to address the matter at hand. 

“Yeonjun, i love you. I have always loved you, and that will never change. I accept all of you, including your flaws, just as i trust you accept all of me. Nobody is perfect yeonjun, and that’s ok. We can only strive for perfection, but there is no such thing as being completely perfect. I dont expect it of you, and i know you dont expect it of me. Please dont ever think so lowly of yourself just because your mother is being a bitch,” soobin told him, looking him closely in the eyes. He was dead serious. 

“Promise me you will continue to live for yourself from now on, without her breathing down your back and manipulating you. Come on, promise me,” he asked desperately. 

And here choi soobin was, once again being so nice and caring, only thinking of yeonjun’s well-being. So it was only natural that yeonjun nodded his head and started to sniffle some more. He flung himself at soobin shamelessly and let soobin rub his back and just sit there with him. 

After a few minutes of quiet, and once yeonjun got his emotions back in order, soobin chuckled lightly. The sound vibrated against yeonjun’s ear. 

“And yeah, you _are_ very pretty, so i guess ill stay,” soobin laughed, a smirk on his face. Yeonjun hit him lightly on the chest, but otherwise didnt mind the small joke. 

**

“Hey, dont forget we have to meet up with yeonjun and soobin and hyuka later today to practice for the competition and go over election crap,” taehyun told beomgyu on the phone. 

_“Oh i would, but i just got too much to do today,”_ beomgyu told him with a fake pout on his face that taehyun obviously couldnt see. 

But taehyun could _hear_ the lie through the receiver.

Taehyun stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at his phone in disbelief. 

“Yeah right beomgyu! I know for a fact you are just hiding out in your dorm room strumming on your guitar while drinking those energy drinks your mother told you to stop drinking!” taehyun shouted at his phone. A few people nearby looked at him like he was crazy. 

_“You can prove nothing!”_ beomgyu yelled back, and then hung up on taehyun. 

“Thats it,” taehyun grumbled, turning back around and marching straight towards beomgyu’s dorm building.  
**

Another week went by, and finally the elections came and passed. Now everyone was just chilling in the student lounge, doing homework while waiting for the results. A few of the students just came back from a grueling math exam and were shouting out and comparing answers. 

“Okay guys, what did you get for number 15?” young, formerly known as ‘wooyoung’ asked. 

“27,” san answered him. 

“18,” taehyun said confidently, making a large number of students groan. He was usually right about 97% of the time. 

“Oh shit, i got 12,” beomgyu pouted. He knew he messed up on that last formula. 

“Yeah i got ‘calculation error’...for some... reason…” soobin trailed off with an awkward grin. Yeonjun burst out laughing, slapping his knee. 

“You are such a dumbfuck in math!” he snickered in the most loving way possible. 

“I cant even argue with you on that,” soobin said glumly, letting yeonjun appease him and pet his head. 

“Dont worry soobin, we can take remediation exams together!” young said (its still wooyoung. Nobody calls him that nickname). 

Soobin brightened up at that. 

“Yeah! Party at the remediation exams!” beomgyu fist bumped the air. 

They were too rowdy and overjoyed to notice that the results of the election went up. 

To no one’s surprise later on, soobin and yeonjun won at a tie, meaning they were president and vice president for the next year. 

And to everyone’s complete surprise, yeonjun stepped down and withdrew from the election, meaning that soobin was the only one with the most votes and he will become the next student council president. 

**

A few days after yeonjun declared he was withdrawing his spot from the election results, he got called in to taehyung’s office. He cant say he wasn’t expecting it. Surely the current president would want to know why he was giving up his spot when there was a tie between he and soobin. 

Naturally, in the rare case of a tie, there would be a re-election between soobin and yeonjun to determine the next president, with the loser being the vice president, but since yeonjun stepped down, soobin won. Soobin wasnt happy to hear this. He argued that he only won by default, and that the re-election was necessary to see who really came out as the winner. But then yeonjun argued that he was only running to annoy soobin at the beginning and he never truly wanted the position. Campus politics wasnt his thing. Soobin was still unsatisfied and grumbled for a solid hour about it, eventually having to accept his new position and move forward. 

So here yeonjun was, ready to hear what taehyung had to say. 

Yeonjun sat across from the older boy, never once wavering from the eye contact they were giving each other. Taehyung had his hands folded on his desk, studying yeonjun seriously for a few minutes. If it was anyone other than yeonjun, they would have been squirming in their seat from the look taehyung was giving him. 

Finally, taehyung spoke.

“I would like to first say to you, that jungkook and myself did not vote in this election.”

Out of everything yeonjun expected taehyung to tell him, that was certainly not it. 

“Im sorry, what?” he asked him. 

“Jungkook and i did not vote at all for student council president. Even though as current students here at this university, we had every right to do so.”

“Okay…” yeonjun trailed off, furrowing his brows in confusion. 

“Do you want to know who we would have voted for?” taehyung asked him with a smirk. 

“I would say yes, but honestly i dont really care,” yeonjun told him boldly. He seriously didnt care. 

“I figured you would say that. But im going to tell you anyways. We both would have voted for soobin as the next president. So technically, soobin did end up winning. How does that make you feel?”

Yeonjun was so lost right now. “Look, let’s cut the crap. I dont care about the election, i never really did. So what am i doing here?” he leaned back in his seat and decided to get comfy, showing that taehyung cant intimidate him. 

“Alright, im going to be pretty harsh and blunt with you then,” taehyung told him carefully. Yeonjun nodded for him to continue. “You would have never been as good as soobin as the next school president.” 

Taehyung didnt say it in a mean way though, only in a way that expressed his personal thoughts and opinions. He gauged yeonjun’s reaction carefully, studying him to see if he was jealous or upset. 

“Why not?” yeonjun asked. He wasnt necessarily angry at the honest opinion, but he was really curious and wanted to know why taehyung decided to say that to him. He was no idiot, he knows how clever taehyung and jungkook are despite their childish antics. They didnt remain on the student council for three years straight just by being pretty.

“Dont take this the wrong way when i say this,” taehyung warned, pausing so yeonjun understood. “Its true that you wouldnt have been as great of a president as soobin, but its also true that soobin wouldnt be as great of a president without you.”

Okay, now yeonjun was confused. “Huh?” he asked dumbly. 

“You are impulsive, yeonjun. You act first and worry about the consequences later. You are clever and calculating, you know how to push people’s buttons, and you have an awful temper when you think no one is looking. You also see people for who they really are, their worst versions of themselves, and you use that to your advantage to get what you want,” taehyung said. 

“Gee thanks,” yeonjun said sarcastically. He already knows this, and he was growing bored. 

Taehyung smiled, guessing yeonjun’s thoughts. “Which is why you and soobin are perfect for each other in every way possible,” he finished with a big boxy grin. His eyes were excited and almost...proud? 

Lol whut. 

“Soobin is a bit shy, timid, always helpful. He is the quiet person in the back, working hard to achieve his goals. He’s not technically a pushover, but he hesitates sometimes. He tries so hard to see the good in people despite their flaws. He’s a calming presence that makes people want to be better, to hang around him in the hopes of fixing their bad habits. Im not saying he doesnt have a little devil side to him, just like how im not saying you are incapable of being gentle and kind to the people you love and respect. What im saying is...you arent a leader yeonjun. You are _much_ more important than that. You _create_ leaders.”

Yeonjun blinked at him, unsure of what that meant exactly.

“You are the reason leaders can thrive. You are the rare person who can find an unpolished jewel, and shape it any way you want. You motivate soobin to try harder, to take the initiative to go farther than what he thinks he’s capable of. You push soobin beyond his limits. Soobin _needs_ you, yeonjun. Every great leader has someone watching their backs, someone guiding them, someone they can lean on when they think they arent good enough, someone to pick them up when they fall,” taehyung was getting excited telling yeonjun this. 

“You wont get to rule at the top yeonjun. And some people might not be satisfied with that. They aren’t happy with not being the center of attention all of the time, so they let greed and jealousy corrupt them. But something tells me you arent like the others. Something tells me that deep down you can see what im seeing. You can see just how much more unstoppable and powerful you can be when working side by side with soobin instead of against him. You both can be so high up that nobody could ever dream of following you guys.”

Taehyung ended his little lecture, and the room grew silent once again. 

“Please tell me you understand what im saying. Please tell me you can see the bigger picture. Im not saying this to make you feel better for losing the election or any bullshit like that. Im saying this from the bottom of my heart,” taehyung begged him. 

Yeonjun bit his lip. 

“Yeah,” he answered. “Yeah i see it. Ive seen it for quite a while, actually.”

Taehyung sagged in great relief. “Then will you reconsider joining the student council as soobin’s vice president?” 

“I think…” yeonjun began. “I think i would have been unhappy as the president.” 

It wasnt a definite no, but taehyung listened to what he had to say. 

“Ive been doing a lot of soul searching this semester, and i finally know what i want.”

“And what is it that you want?” taehyung asked him. 

Yeonjun smiled. It was gentle and warm, and rare for someone like him to show. “I want to be a free spirit. I dont want to be burdened with rules and regulations and I _hate_ being told what to do. I want to dance and perform to my heart’s content. Soobin is like my buffer. I know he wont take advantage of me, and he let’s me basically do whatever i want. I will only listen to him. _The Choi Yeonjun_ doesnt follow anyone else,” yeonjun huffed, crossing his arms.

“So...you will take the position as vice president?” taehyung asked hopefully. 

“I guess,” yeonjun sniffed. 

Deciding the meeting was over, yeonjun began to stand up. But then he thought of something really quick.

“Wait, all that stuff about me being special and one of a kind and amazing-”

“Im pretty sure i didnt say it like that- taehyung muttered under his breath.

“About how i was one of the few people who had a talent for finding and creating leaders...you sounded like you spoke from personal experience,” yeonjun inquired. 

Taehyung leaned back, smiling with his eyes taking on a soft look. “You’re right. I do have personal experience.”

“Let me guess, you are just like me and are able to find people and make them into somebody important?” yeonjun asked. 

Taehyung shook his head. “You have it completely wrong. Somebody found _me_ , and became my motivation to do better. I thought i was majorly lacking, but they believed in me and became my source of strength. They made me who i am today, and i can never repay them enough. I will always be loyal to only them.”

“Was it jungkook?” yeonjun guessed, even though he knew the answer already. 

“Jungkook was the best of the best in our year. He was at the top. Literally, there isnt a single thing that boy cant do. He’s amazing in every sense of the word. Everyone _expected_ him to lead this school. And then there was little old me. For some reason, he saw something in me, and stuck to my side like glue. He encouraged me to run for student council, and to join all of these organizations, and to always be there for me whenever i had an audition or competition. He claims i was better at dealing with people, and that he liked when i took care of things for him. Somehow, it worked. We became an unstoppable team who can lean on each other. And yeah, maybe we fell in love in the process. I admire him _so_ much…” taehyung said. Yeonjun could tell they were completely devoted to each other. 

He wants to be like that with soobin. 

“Thank you...for telling me all of this. I will be sure to take your words to heart,” yeonjun said, bowing to taehyung with respect. 

“I think you guys are going to do wonderful. Especially with the other people who won in the elections,” taehyung smirked. 

“You mean hyuka, taehyunnie, and gyu?” yeonjun asked. 

“I saw how Soobin thrives in chaos. He will be able to handle all of you perfectly. His team isnt a conventional one, and that is exactly what this school needs. It reminds me of gguk and i when we were younger.” 

Yeonjun chuckled, heading to the door. “You talk like an old man.”

“Sometimes i feel like one too. Since im wise and all-knowing and-”

Yeonjun shut the door on him and walked out of the office. 

**

The next year was one of excitement and joy. 

Soobin and yeonjun, along with the other three, helped run the school (almost) flawlessly. 

By now, the entire student body is well aware of what yeonjun is really like. It was kind of a shock to some people, especially the fan girls that painted yeonjun as this handsome and regal prince, but most of the students already saw it long before yeonjun totally dropped the act in his final year. 

Being around soobin made him show his true colors, and it somehow even boosted his popularity even more. 

“You seem more human, and approachable, and way more funny now. Before, you were kind of intimidating with how perfect you seemed,” young (its still wooyoung, even a year later. Nobody has taken to his nickname, and ever will) told yeonjun one day after dance practice. 

“Yeah, basically soobin tamed the beast,” san snickered, earning a water bottle thrown to his face from yeonjun. 

Sometimes, yeonjun is impulsive, and that's ok. Soobin learned you need to just follow his example and go for it without thinking about it too much. But then sometimes yeonjun is totally crazy, and soobin is there to rein him in if he gets a little too out of hand. At the same time, Soobin is willing to go along with whatever crazy idea yeonjun and the other three come up with, and for that yeonjun has fallen even a little more in love with him. He doesnt feel looked down on, he doesnt feel caged in, he can be free and careless, letting soobin take the brunt of all the responsibilities, and yeonjun can be the shoulder he leans on when it gets to be too much sometimes. 

The five of them gained a huge reputation. They were known as ‘the four extroverts and their favorite introvert’, which seemed very endearing to a lot of people (especially the girls). 

**

They were the hottest students in school, the president and vice president, carrying on jungkook and taehyung’s legacy. 

Their smiles were pretty, their faces flawless. They were nice, caring, kind, and hardworking. They were the princes of the school.

“Alright guys, that’s a wrap. I think we have enough photos for the yearbook,” beomgyu said, clicking his camera a few more times. 

Soobin and yeonjun slumped from their pose of sitting next to each other, relieved that their official photos were now finished. 

“Ow, ow, owieee, soobin your hair is stuck in my earring-” yeonjun complained, squirming in his seat while angling his head so that the earring wouldnt be ripped out of his ear.

“God dammit yeonjun, quit moving! You’re going to rip my hair out. If i get one bald spot i swear-” soobin hissed, trying to work his hair out of yeonjun’s earring. “Maybe if you didnt wear such gaudy and obnoxious jewelry, this wouldnt have happened-”

“Oh, so now its my fault this happened? Maybe if you didnt stick so close to me, squishing that adorable dimpled cheek against mine, my earring wouldnt have gotten caught in your hair-”

Beomgyu rolled his eyes, ignoring the two bickering and tried to hurry up so he could see taehyun. 

After all, they have an election to run for next year’s student council president and vice president.

**

Another year went by, and soobin and yeonjun waved from the crowd. They came back to campus, even though they were graduated, for this special occasion. They were so proud of taehyun and beomgyu for winning by a landslide, taking soobin and yeonjun’s spot as the next head of the student council. 

Taehyun began his speech, with beomgyu by his side. Hueningkai was up next, to give his speech as their secretary. 

“I would just like to say that as your new president, this will be a new era of hell on campus, with me as your ultimate leader-” taehyun began into the mic. 

Beomgyu shoved taehyun out of the way, quickly taking the mic from his hands. There were sounds of scuffling in the speaker system, and then he spoke into it. “Please ignore him. I just wanted to say thank you to everybody who voted for us. We know it was a last minute decision to run for student council president and vice president, but i know you wont regret it-” he continued the speech smoothly, giving his winning smile to everybody. 

At the end of the ceremony, hyuka ran up and hugged soobin and yeonjun, excited to see them even though its only been a week since they graduated. 

Beomgyu and taehyun didnt escape yeonjun and soobin’s crushing hugs either. Then the two oldest went into full parent mode, asking if they did well on their finals and if they decided to join any other extracurriculars during the summer etc. 

Taehyun interrupted their bombarding questions with a very crucial one of his own. 

“So who ended up winning the game between the two of you?” he asked them innocently.

Yeonjun scoffed and soobin snorted. 

“I did,” they both said at the same time. Then yeonjun turned and glared at soobin, and soobin smirked right back. 

“No it was me!” yeonjun yelled childishly. 

“Obviously it was me,” soobin argued back. 

And then they proceeded to bicker about it, causing lots of chaos around them. 

Beomgyu turned to taehyun with a shit eating grin. “You totally did that on purpose to get them off our backs.”

“I dont know what you are talking about,” taehyun lied. But there was an evil glint in his eye that beomgyu obviously saw.

“God i love you so much,” beomgyu snickered, throwing an arm over taehyun’s shoulders and kissing his cheek.

“Hey, do you guys think we will be able to become famous singers like our BTS sunbae-nims?” hyuka asked them, munching on a donut he somehow pulled out of nowhere. 

The other four turned to him, thinking about it.

Then beomgyu snorted. “Nah, they are like, super famous now. There's no way the five of us would be lucky enough to perform as a team like them.” 

“Haha, you’re probably right,” hyuka said, shrugging his shoulders. 

Unless…?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omgosh this is the end!  
> I want to especially thank everybody who has stuck with this fic until the very last chapter. I promise you, usually I never let a fic linger this long while being unfinished. maybe at the most a few weeks. but this year has been kind of crazy. 
> 
> however, like yeonjun, im not a quitter! I will never abandon a fic! 
> 
> if im going to be honest, this fic was completely a mess and went in all different directions, but I had so much fun writing it. I even chuckled at my own lame jokes and vine references. this was meant to be a fun read and not that serious. I hope most of you were able to enjoy it! 
> 
> Here's my twitter and cc in case you want to get in touch <3  
> @eternitxt03  
> curiouscat.me/eternitxt03


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